Family and Friends of Dakota Uprising Victims

August 18, 1862: Neighbors Share the Tragedy August 18, 2012: Descendants Honor and Remember 150th Anniversary of the U.S. – Dakota War in Renville County Janet R. Klein – Joyce A. Kloncz

2012 !1 Foreword

On August 18, 1862, the Dakota Indians who were living on the south side of the Minnesota River opposite the selements in Renville County unleashed their fury on those selements. On that day and the next, they killed about 150 Renville County selers – unarmed men, women and children, all non- combatants, and captured about 70 women and children. It was the start of the largest Indian uprising since the naon was founded in 1776, and Renville County had the most vicms of any county in the state. Those selers who escaped being killed or captured fled for their lives. Aer the Uprising was put down, many of these selers did not return to their homes, so horrible was their experience along with the fear that it might happen again.

Many of the selers who were living there in 1862 were friends with their neighbors, and some were related. But the Uprising and its aermath was so huge that these personal es between the selers families were for the most part broken. But now, 150 years later, those es are being re-established.

The advent of the 150th anniversary of this tragic event and the communicaon enabled by the Internet has brought back together quite a number of these families. The bond which they share is unique and their desire to honor and remember their ancestors who went through such trying mes is very strong.

Having worked on the Dakota Uprising for ten years now, I find it very grafying to see these families come back together and share the family stories which have come down to them. And it is interesng to see these present-day descendants come to know one another, with the accompanying excitement which exhibits itself when each new descendant “is discovered” and joins the group. Adversity forges strong bonds, and this group, reflecng the atude of their ancestors, has those bonds, as they individually and collecvely honor and memorialize their ancestors in a variety of ways. Curt Dahlin

August 2012

This is a photograph of a ribbon issued for the 75th Anniversary in 1937, then called the Indian Massacre.

2 Introducon

We began this journey in August 2011 when Mary McConnell, aer many years of searching, found her great aunt, Martha McConnell Clasen McGowan, on a findagrave.com memorial that I had posted. Through that posng, she also found her 2nd great-grandmother, Ellen, who was Martha’s mother. We made contact and realized that Martha, married my 2nd great-grandfather’s son, Frederick Clasen. This opened a new world of family for Mary as she did not know Ellen had immigrated to America, nor did she know that Martha had a previous marriage to Frederick. Martha had married Duncan McGowan aer Frederick’s death in the Dakota War.

To thank me for that connecon, Mary sent me a copy of Curs Dahlin’s book, The Dakota Uprising – A Pictorial History. The book became a fascinaon to me as my 2nd great-grandfather, Charles Clasen and his son Frederick, were menoned in the book as vicms in the Dakota War. That led to an e-mail introducon to Curt by Mary. Curt has a passion for remembering those ancestors who lie in unmarked graves and had no voice. I felt that energy as well and told him I would help him spread that story however I could. Curt truly is the inspiraon to all that followed.

I then set up a Facebook page called Family and Friends of Dakota Uprising Vicms. It generated some traffic but we needed more exposure. I then asked my sister, Joyce Kloncz, if she would set up a website. And boy, did she ever! The website, www.dakotavicms1862.com, was born in December 2011 and, aer over 500 emails later, it has developed into a nice collecon of monument and tombstone photographs, family stories, links, lists of books, vicms and more.

Because of Curt, several of our Family and Friends group were asked to serve on the Minnesota Historical Society’s Seler Commiee for their Minnesota Tragedy: The US-Dakota War of 1862 exhibit. Curt, Kathy Brown, Mary McConnell, Mary Lou Erickson and I aended two meengs and provided input on the selers’ stories. That exhibit opened June 30 in St. Paul. In the meanme, Curt connued to introduce us to more descendants in the Birch Coulie and Beaver Creek areas of Renville County. It was mutually decided that we, as Family and Friends, would try to erect a memorial for our ancestors. We have worked on this with the Renville County Historical Society and Director Carl Colwell in collaboraon with the Minnesota Scenic Byways group. The first markers will be dedicated on August 25 in Morton with more markers to come. Mary McConnell has led that effort admirably, and the markers were commissioned by donaons from family members.

The purpose of this book then is to recognize our seler ancestors and their sacrifice and place in Minnesota history. Most had taken the risk of leaving their homelands to find a new and beer life on the Minnesota froner. On August 18, 1862, many lost their lives; all lost their homes, property, and peace of heart and mind. And, aer all this me, many of their stories and voices have been lost. With this book, we give voice to them again. We thank those descendants who have so willingly shared their family history and provided the funds to sponsor this project. Their names are listed on the Donors page and Family and Friends and Their Relaonships. We dedicate this booklet to all the seler families and their descendants.

Jan Clasen Klein Joyce Clasen Kloncz Chair of Family and Friends of Webmaster and Co-Editor Dakota Uprising Vicms and Co-Editor

3 Table of Contents The Significance and Magnitude of the Dakota Uprising of 1862 5...... Causes of the Dakota Uprising 6...... Logo of Family and Friends of Dakota Vicms 7...... Map of Beaver Creek and Birch Coulie 8...... Stories of Renville County Uprising Vicms 9-64 ...... Ahrens, Henry and Minnie Bobson 9 ...... Bahlke, Andrew and Maria Frohrip ...... 9 Boelter, John and Jusna Wendland 12 ...... Buce, Minnie 12 ...... Buery, George, Marguerite Shirm and Salomé Kauffmann 13 ...... Cardinal, Clement and Marguerita Perreault 18 ...... Carrothers, David and Elizabeth 20 ...... Carrothers, Helen and James 21 ...... Clasen, Charles and Carolina Wolf, Johan and Frederick 22 ...... Earle, Jonathan and Amanda Macomber 27 ...... Eisenreich, Balthasar and Teresa 28 ...... Frohrip, Louisa 28 ...... Hayden, John, Patrick and Mary 29 ...... Henderson, Stephen and Clarissa 29 ...... Ienenfeldt, William and Wilhelmina Zitzlaff* 30...... Juni, Benedict and Mary 35 ...... Kochendorfer, Johan and Catherine Lechler 36 ...... Kumro, John and Marie Kaufman 36 ...... McConnell Family, includes Thomas Brooks ...... 39 Perreault, Elizabeth and Eusebi Picard 44 ...... Perreault, Pierre and Marie Elizabeth Tellier-LaFortune 44...... Perreault, Mary Philomene 45 ...... Perreault, Genevieve 45...... Rose, George Fredrich and Johanna Hahn 45 ...... Schwandt, Mary 48...... Urban, Johann Jacob and Wilhelmine Pauline Doege 48...... Vogtman, Catherine Buery 53...... White, Nathan and Urania Frazer 58...... Wichmann, Diedrich and Margaret Boorman 59...... Wi, Carl and Fredericka Fick 60...... Zimmerman, John and Mary 62...... Three Survivors of the Sioux Uprising: Carrothers, White and Schwandt 64...... Renville County Pioneers 65...... Renville Rangers 69 ...... Selers in the Area of Birch Coulie Township During the US Dakota War of 1862 70 ...... Selers in the Area of Beaver Falls Township During the US Dakota War of 1862 71 ...... Birch Coulie and Beaver Creek Vicms: Their Descendants and Their Relaonships 72 ...... Donors List 75...... Addional Family & Friends Relaonships ...... 76 *Includes the families of Meyer, Sieg and Zitslaff 4 The Significance and Magnitude of the Dakota Uprising of 1862

The War was the most significant event in Minnesota’s History

! If it were to take place today and the same proporon of people were killed, there would be over 15,000 dead. It was a huge event.

! The over 600 who were killed compares with 615 balefield deaths of Minnesota Civil War soldiers. Most of the over 600 who were killed in Minnesota were unarmed non-combatants and most were killed within a 6-week period, whereas those in the Civil War were spread out over a 4-year period. There may have been a lile over 100 Dakota who were killed, with very few or possibly no women and children. In contrast, over 100 white women and over 70 white children who were 10 or under were killed.

! When looking at a daily toll of vicms, there were over 200 killed on August 18, 1862 whereas there were about 235 soldiers killed with General George Custer at the Bale of the Lile Big Horn on June 25, 1876. There were only up to six Dakota who were killed on August 18, 1862 in Minnesota. It was a massacre, with the Dakota targeng men, women and children.

The magnitude of the War can be measured by the number of “mosts” in the naon, since its founding in 1776

! The over 600 vicms were the largest number killed in the naon in a war with the Indians. In response to this, 38 Dakota were hanged at Mankato on December 26, 1862, the largest number executed at one me in the naon.

! The August 22, 1862 bale at Fort Ridgely was the largest aack on a fort by the Indians, with about 800 Dakota aacking the fort in which there were over 400 people, most of whom were unarmed refugees fleeing the Dakota.

! The August 23, 1862 bale at New Ulm was the largest aack on a town, with about 650 Dakota aacking the town containing about 2,000 people, most of whom were unarmed.

! The August 25, 1862 evacuaon of New Ulm – some 2,000 people – was the largest number of people to completely evacuate a town during an Indian war.

! An esmated 20,000 people fled their homes, which was the most in any Indian war in the naon.

! The New Ulm City Cemetery contains the largest number of civilians (at least 55 and likely more) who were killed by the Indians and buried in a single cemetery. Some of the gravestones contain the inscripon “Killed by Indians.”

! About 400 vicms lie in unmarked and unknown graves, the most in any Indian war in the naon.

Curs Dahlin, April, 2012

5 Causes of the Dakota Uprising

Submied by Curs Dahlin There were a number of factors which contributed to the Dakota Uprising in 1862. Life was changing for the Dakota as both fur-bearing and game animals, upon which they depended, were geng scarce. It is likely that the Dakota had expected that they would be able to live off the proceeds from selling their land to the U.S. government, via the treaes of 1851 and 1858, but it was not working out that way. The crops had been poor in 1861 and the winter of 1861-1862 had been difficult, so in 1862, some of the Dakota were hungry. Indian Agent Thomas Galbraith inially refused to distribute food to the Dakota, as he wanted to do that at the same me as he distributed the annual annuity, which had not yet arrived. The late annuity was also a point of contenon. Also, there was tension between the Dakota and the traders, so the situaon was volale. So when four Dakota killed five whites at Acton in Meeker County on August 17, 1862, the decision was made to go to war against the whites, which they did early in the morning of August 18. And the most tragic and significant event in Minnesota’s history was on.

Birch Coulie and Friendly Indians Monuments, Morton, MN, ca. 1902, from the Renville County Historical Society donaon by Gladys Gooderum.

6 Logo of Family and Friends of Dakota Uprising Vicms

This is the logo of Family and Friends of Dakota Vicms. More informaon about this group can be found at the website: hp://www.dakotavicms1862.com It can also be found on Facebook at: Family and Friends of Dakota Uprising Vicms. This monument is the Defenders State Monument, located on Center Street in New Ulm, commemorang the two bales fought there in 1862. Noted arst Anton Gag created the artwork at its base. An inscripon reads: “The monument was erected by the State of Minnesota to commemorate the bales and incidents of the Sioux Indian War of 1862, which parcularly relates to the town of New Ulm — 1890. Honored be the memory of the cizens of Blue Earth, Nicollet, LeSueur and adjacent counes, who so gallantly came to the rescue of their neighbors of Brown County and by their prompt acon and bravery aided the inhabitants in defeang the enemy in the two bales of New Ulm, whereby the depredaons of the savages were confined to the border, which would otherwise have extended to the heart of the State.”

7 Map of Beaver Creek and Birch Coulee Below is a map found in the book Gregory Michno’s Dakota Dawn. The book was discovered by one of the Birch Coulie descendants and became the basis for our historical research. It also brought descendants together to form the commiee, Family and Friends of Dakota Uprising Vicms. There are some homestead placement errors that were acknowledged by the author, but it is too valuable a resource to not include it in this booklet. The map was used by permission of Gregory Michno.

8 Stories of Renville County Uprising Vicms The following pages contain Renville County descendants’ stories. The editors have chosen to do some minor eding on the stories below to show connuity and consistency in the format. Henry and Minnie Bobson Ahrens Henry and his family came to the Beaver Falls area of Renville County in the spring of 1862. He was one of the few selers who lived in the county before the massacre and returned in the spring of 1865. Their enre family escaped unharmed but lost their home and all of their worldly possessions when the Dakota began the uprising on August 18, 1862. The family le Beaver Creek that day and drove all the way to Will County, IL, their previous home with their ox team.

Henry had an illustrious career for over fiy years serving the town of Morton, Renville County and the state of Minnesota. He was the county’s first treasurer, an early county commissioner, a judge, and served in the Minnesota State Senate. He was a member of the Renville Pioneers Associaon and along with William Wichmann and Millard White, he was on the commiee to locate the lost graves of old seles in died in the uprising in 1862. Henry died in 1914 at the age of 81 years. He is buried in the Beaver Falls Cemetery. Andrew Bahlke and Maria Frohrip Submied by Kathy Brown, Third Great-Grandaughter of Maria Frohrip Bahlke Our story begins in the Mecklenburg area of Germany where Maria Bahlke married Johann Frohriep. They had five daughters, Maria (Mary), Dorothea, Wilhelmina, Frederica, Louisa and one son, Johann (John). Father, Johann, died prior to 1854, and Maria made the decision that she and her children would travel to America to find a new life along with her brother, Andreas (Andrew) Bahlke. In April of 1854, the two oldest daughters, Maria (Mary) and Dorothea le Hamburg Germany aboard the barque Oldenburg seng out for a new beginning. On this passenger list their last name was spelled Frohrieb, another of the derivaons we have seen of this surname. Also aboard this ship there sailed a Felix Bahlke family. Was this a relave of their Mother’s? Perhaps. We are sll studying this. They arrived in New York on 18 May 1854. On the 10th of September 1855, Andreas (Andrew) Bahlke along with his sister Maria Frohriep and the remainder of her children le Hamburg aboard the Nord Amerika owned by the Hamburg America Line. It was a 3 masted barque vessel of 419 tons built in 1848 of wooden construcon. It had accommodaons for 20 first class passengers, 200 steerage and crew of 16. We do know that the family traveled in steerage and arrived on 23 Oct 1855, at Castle Garden which was a newly opened receiving place in New York. On the passenger lists of both of the ships it designates in the “village code” column the village of Oberhof in Germany. We will connue to pursue that designaon as well as we work our way back into Germany. We know that in 1856, eldest daughter Maria (Mary) was married to Lambert Dresselhaus, seled on their farm in Locust Lane, Winneshiek County, Iowa, where they raised their family and lived out the rest of their lives. We do have a family history that has been passed along through the Frohrip line that states Mary, Dorothea and Frederica seled in Iowa.

9 The next documentaon that we have is the 1860 US Census showing Wilhelmina and Maria (Mary) living with their husbands each in their respecve homes. But we also have a July 5, 1860 US Census lisng the enre family including Andreas Bahlke living together near New Ulm in Coonwood Township, Brown County, Minnesota. What I believe may have happened in this instance is that the census taker and Maria did not understand each other very well and she listed all of her children as living here. When the Homestead Act was signed in March of 1862 Andrew Bahlke and Maria Frohrip with her grown children, Johann and Louisa, claimed land and lived “on the hill in the southeast quarter of secon 25, Beaver.” They were midway between Beaver Creek and Birch Coulee which was originally called La Croix Creek. They must have thought that this was the most beauful place on earth as they overlooked the enre Minnesota River Valley. I, myself, stood on this piece of ground, looked around and thought what a lovely place to live; that they couldn’t have chosen a beer place. Were they told or did they understand that this land had only recently been taken from the Dakota Indians aer it had been promised to them? Part of the land they lived on is, today, the Morton City Cemetery.

So here, on this beauful piece of land, the family began their new life. Many accounts that have been wrien about this me period talk about the relaonship between most of the Dakota people and the selers. They came to know the nearby Dakota people as did all the neighbors in that area. Aer all, they lived just across the Minnesota River from the villages of Lile Crow, Big Eagle, Mankato, Traveling Hail and Wacouta. The German selers didn’t like the Indians habit of looking into windows and just coming into their homes. They considered many of them as beggars. And the Dakota, in turn, did not care for the German people or as they knew them, “bad talkers.” Louisa Frohrip, the youngest daughter got a job at the Redwood or Lower Agency which was not far from their home. We do not know what her job was there, but she came to know Agency head carpenter, the Scotsman, John Nairn, his wife and their four children as well as Joseph and Valencia Reynolds and their two children. The Reynolds ran the government agricultural school that was located between the Lower and Upper agencies in Shakopee’s village. Louisa Frohrip’s great-grandson, Carl Frederick Wolf, has stated that the family story passed down is that Louisa stayed with the Nairn family for some me aer the Uprising. We do know that in 1864, when Louisa was married, Valencia B. Reynolds was one of the witnesses. On the morning of Monday, August 18, 1862, aer the sunrise aack on the Lower Agency, as the Dakota were busy plundering and burning buildings, many people had opportunity to make their escape. John Nairn realized this chance and escaped on foot with his wife and children. Based on his account as well as that of Valencia Reynolds, I believe that Louisa Frohrip was with them. They started for the Redwood Ferry but saw Indians blocking their escape route. It was then that they met Lile Crow’s half brother, White Spider, who oen went by the name John Wakeman, and he told them that they should go only by night to New Ulm. Lile Crow had given orders to White Spider to save some of the women and children. The first major aack had been on the Lower Agency but as this was happening, groups of Indians connued the killing spree across the swath of land on the north side of the river that had so recently been taken from them. They went up onto the bluff and into the yard of Andreas (Andrew) Bahlke and his older sister, the widow, Maria Frohrip. The family dog came out barking at the Dakotas as they approached the cabin. They shot him. Upon hearing the shot, Andreas came out to scold them and he was immediately shot and killed. Maria Frohrip began to run away and didn’t get far when the Indians began to shoot at her. She was seriously wounded and fell aer being shot in the back several mes. I do not believe that John Frohrip was at home during the me of this aack. He, with his oxen and wagon, arrived at the home some me later to find his Uncle killed and his Mother lying in the yard 10 gravely wounded. John loaded his Mother Maria into the wagon and started the flight to Fort Ridgley and safety. As the confusion and hoslies were growing, Joseph and Valencia Reynolds with their children were on the road to New Ulm in their horse and buggy. They met the John Nairn family and Louisa walking along with other refugees. Nairn asked the Reynolds if they would take their two oldest children to Fort Ridgely with them in their buggy. The Nairns with Louisa helping them could now carry their youngest children and get to the Fort more quickly. The Reynolds drove to opposite the Fort where Joseph had his wife and the children hide with the buggy in the thick woods. He then unhitched the horse and rode to the Fort where he and John Nairn along with a few soldiers took a wagon and went back to the wooded area. Together they brought the children and Mrs. Reynolds safely back to Fort Ridgely. Aer the Fort was relieved, the Nairns and Louisa went to St. Peter with many other refugees. We find both Maria Frohrip and Louisa Frohrip listed as refugees at Fort Ridgely. Nowhere is John menoned. With all the confusion going on during the days of that week it would not be surprising that not all of the men would be listed.

The Frohrip family legend has always been that Maria died shortly aer the Uprising at the home of her daughter Wilhelmina Schippel near Eagle Lake, Minnesota which is near Mankato. We have only recently learned that was not the case. Maria was brought by her son, John, to Locust Lane, Winneshiek County, Iowa. They very likely stopped on their way to Iowa and stayed for some me to recuperate at the Schippel home. Daughter Wilhelmina had become the second wife of Anton Schippel in March of 1860 and they lived on their farm where they raised their large family. Wilhelmina died in 1921 and is buried with her husband in Pilgrim’s Rest Cemetery in Mankato. Maria lived the rest of her life with oldest daughter Mary, Mary’s husband Lambert Dresselhaus and their family. Maria died in 1887 and is buried in the Locust Lane Salem Cemetery beside Mary, who died in 1907. It was from Locust Lane, Iowa, that John wrote the following leer to Governor Alexander Ramsey. It was found in the archives of the Minnesota Historical Society. I have transcribed it exactly as it was wrien. November the 14th 1862 To His Excellency Governor Ramsey Dear Sir I Understand that there is Twenty five Thousand Dollars Appropriated to the Relief of those That Suffered by the Indians in the Late Outbreak I lived in Raneville County and I lost Nearly Every Thing I Had I saved My Oxen and Waggon and the Clothes on My Back and that is All The Indians Killed one of My Family and Wounded My Mother and I am Here in the State of Iowa in Very Destute Circumstances Now if the State of Minnesota Has Appropriated that Sum of Money to the Sufferers Please Write to Me and let Me know What Course to Pursue to Avail Myself of the Benefit of it Direct Your leer to Locust Lane Winneshiek Co State of Iowa and I will Ever Remain Your Humble Servant John Frohrip There is a handwrien note on the back of this leer saying: Leer John Frohrip Ans: Dec 11 by PB cannot help him (Note: PB is Capt Peter Berkley who was put in charge of the Depredaon Claims by Governor Ramsey.) We also have a record lisng claims compiled by Mary Bakeman in her Index to Claimants for Depredaon following the Dakota War of 1862. Here it lists that John Frohrip filed a formal claim #472,

11 File locaon: not known, Total claimed $600.00; Full payment of claimant for relief of depredaon damages. We don’t know at this point, how long John stayed in Iowa, but do know that he was at Louisa Frohrip’s marriage to Valenn Bo on September 14, 1864, in St Peter, Minnesota, at the North Western Hotel. He was listed as a witness along with Mrs. J. B. Reynolds. Louisa and Valenn seled in the Redwood Falls, Minnesota, area where they raised their family. Louisa took her own life in 1921, and is buried next to her husband and son, Willie, in Lamberton City Cemetery. John married Carolina Maria “Mary” Sundermann on April 18, 1866, in LeSeuer County, Minnesota. They raised their family and farmed in the area near Fort Ridgely. John died in 1881, and is buried next to his wife in Fort Ridgely Cemetery. And sll, the search connues for Maria’s daughters, Dorothea and Frederica. John and Jusna Wendland Boelter John Boelter was born in Reetz, Arnwalde, Germany in 1823. He emigrated to America, seling in Marquee County, Wisconsin. Here he met and married Jusna Wendland, a German nave. They and their three children eventually moved to the southeast quarter of secon 34, Flora township, in Renville County, Minnesota. Michael Boelter, John's brother, lived next to them on a claim in the southwest quarter of secon 35. The area was known as the Middle Creek selement, and several in the community were killed by the Indians on August 18, 1862, the first day of the Dakota uprising. John was killed while he was checking their cale. His wife and two of his children survived. Michael's wife and children were killed. John's widow, Jusna, married her brother in law, Michael Boelter, on September 13, 1863. It is assumed that the soldiers buried John Boelter on his claim, near the spot where he fell. Findagrave Memorial by Bill Cox. Minnie Buce

Minnie was born in Germany to parents Goried and Wilhelmina Buce (somemes spelled Buse or Busse). In 1858 the parents emigrated with their three children, August, Wilhelmina (Minnie), and Augusta, to America, seling at Fox Lake, WI where daughter Amelia was born. In the spring of 1860, with five other families, the Buce family moved to Minnesota. Aer spending a short me in Cannon Falls, the family moved farther west to Renville County and seled in the northwest quarter of Secon 35, Flora township, an area known as the Middle Creek selement. Another daughter, Bertha, was born here. Life on the prairie was peaceful and unevenul, and they lived in comfort among the Dakota Indians unl 1862, when the number of selers in the area had grown, and their Dakota neighbors became hosle.

On August 18, 1862, the Dakota aacked the whites at the Lower Sioux Agency to the east, and at the selements in the region, killing hundreds, and taking over one hundred, mostly women and children, as prisoners. On that day, Minnie's brother, August, was sent to a neighbor's place on an errand and found everyone there murdered. The Buce family then fled to a cornfield. Later, when they 12 aempted to reach a wooded area, the Indians discovered them, killing Minnie's father and mother, and sisters Bertha and Caroline, who were in the arms of their parents. Minnie and her surviving siblings, August and Amelia, were taken capve and spent ten weeks among the Dakota before all capves were freed at Camp Release. Following their release, the siblings were parted and taken in by three separate families. By age 15, Minnie was on her own, working in the summers and going to school in the winter. In 1879 she married Owen Carrigan. The couple had six children and farmed in the southeast quarter of secon 22, Boon Lake township, two and a half miles east of this (Evergreen) cemetery. Mr. Carrigan died in 1898 at Hutchinson, MN. Findagrave Memorial by Bill Cox and photo courtesy of Brown County Historical Society. George Buery and Marguerite Shirm and Salomé Kauffmann nd Submied by Glenn Vogtman, 2 Great-Grandson This biography of George Buery traces his life from birth in 1826 at Mietesheim, Bas-Rhin, France to his death in 1892 at Morton, Renville County, Minnesota at the age of 66 years, 1 month, and 11 days. While researching for this biography, it became apparent that some explanaons were needed to help the reader understand how certain informaon was interpreted and presented. First, although George was born with the surname BURY, many different variaons of his name (such as BEIRY, BERG, BERRY, BUERRY, BURI, PERRY, RUY) are found in reference literature, censuses, and other biographical sources. The spelling BUERY is found in the U. S. as early as the 1850 census and is the spelling adopted by George and his descendants. Other U. S. branches of the family connue to use BURY. In this biography, when reference sources are cited or census informaon is used, proper names are quoted as they were found in the source material. When appropriate, alternate name spellings are shown within parentheses ( ). Second, there can be confusion when referring to a geographical feature or polical enty which includes the name “Birch Cooley.” In Renville County, Minnesota there is a Birch Cooley Township, a Birch Cooley Creek, a former Birch Cooley Village, and a specific geographical area somemes referred to as Birch Cooley. It is not uncommon to find any of these designaons wrien as Birch Coulie, Birch Coulie, or some variaon. Coulie is a French word meaning the bed of the stream, even if dry, when deep, and having inclined sides. The original name of the stream in the Coulie was La Croix creek, but the vicinity was known from the early days as Birch Coulie, and this was finally corrupted to Birch Cooley, now the official name of the township. For clarity and consistency in this biography, the following geographical names will be used when appropriate: Birch Cooley Township – designates township in Renville County, Minnesota Birch Cooley Creek - designates creek originally called La Croix Creek Birch Cooley – designates general vicinity around Birch Cooley Creek GEORGE BUERY BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH George Bury was born January 25, 1826 in the village of Mietesheim, Bas-Rhin, France. He was the older (by 30 minutes) of twin sons born to parents Jean Adam Bury and Marguerithe (née Teutsch) Bury. His twin brother was named Jean Adam Bury aer his father. George immigrated to the United States in about 1846 when he was twenty years old. He worked at his trade of cooper (barrel maker) in Canada and Buffalo, Erie County, New York.

13 In 1847 at Buffalo, New York, he married Margaret Scherman (Shirm) who was born April 9, 1825 in Engwiller, Bas-Rhin, France. They had three daughters: Magdalena (born in 1847 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York), Catherine (born June 1, 1848 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York), Margaret (born May 1850 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York) The 1850 United States Census finds them in the 4th Ward, Buffalo, Erie County, New York listed as follows: George Buery, Age: 23 yrs. old, Sex: M, Occ: Cooper, Value of Real Estate: $400, b/France; Margaret Buery, Age: 24 yrs. old, Sex: F, b/France; Catherine Buery, Age: 2 yrs. old, Sex: F, b/New York; Margaret Buery, Age: 3/12 months old, Sex: F, b/New York. Their daughter, Magdalena, died in August 20, 1849. In

1854, George’s wife Margaret died, probably in Buffalo, New York. In 1855, George Buery married Salomé (Sally) Coffman (Kaufman), probably in Buffalo, New York. Salomé was born in France February 10, 1826 and died April 18, 1898 in Morton, Minnesota. Salomé’s sister, Marie (Mary) Coffman (Kaufman) married John Kumro in 1856 in New York. The two families remained close neighbors from that me forward. Someme in 1856, the Buery and Kumro families le Buffalo, New York to travel to Mankato, Minnesota. A son, George Evere Buery was born June 1856 in Canada, probably during their steamboat trip through the Great Lakes en route to Minnesota.

George Buery and his family seled in Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minnesota and are recorded in the 1857 Minnesota Territorial Census as follows: Minnesota, Enumerated 20 Oct 1857, Film Number: 944283, Digital Folder Number: 004539665, Image Number: 00090: George Berg, Age: 32, M, b/Germany, Naturalized: Yes, Occ: Cooper; Sally Berg, Age: 28, F, b/Germany; Katherine Berg, Age 9, F, b/New York; Margret Berg, Age: 7, F, b/New York;George Berg, Age: 1, M, b/Canada By 1859 the Buery and Kumro families had seled on land claims in Renville County, Minnesota north of the Minnesota River and west of Birch Cooley Creek in an area known as Birch Cooley. The typical pioneer houses built that first year are described below in an arcle related by William Kumro, a son of John and Mary Kumro: Minnesota was wild in those days, sparsely seled and overrun by Sioux Indians. Selers took up homesteads and oen they were without any neighbors for miles around. Houses were built of logs. The one on the Kumro homestead was built into the side of a hill, the back dug out into the hill, the front made of logs and a shake roof made of split slabs of trees completed the house. By 1860, George Buery and his second wife, Salomé, had added two more children to the family: Emely (Emily/Emma) (born November 3, 1857 at Mankato, Blue Earth, Minnesota) Mary Ann (born 13 December 6, 1859 at Birch Cooley, Renville, Minnesota The 1860 United States Census finds the Buery family enumerated at Beaver Creek, Renville County, Minnesota as follows: 1860 United States Census, Beaver Crk, (Beaver River on Census image), Renville, Minnesota, Post Office: Lower Sioux Agency, Brown Co., Series: M653, Roll: 573, Page: 380, Sheet 6, recorded on 10 Jun 1860 for Dwelling/Family 42/42: George Ruy, 34 yrs. old, M, Occ: Farmer, Value of

14 Real Estate: $300, Value of Personal Estate: $150, b/France; Sarah Ruy, 35 yrs. old, F, b/France; Catherine Ruy, 12 yrs. old, F, b/New York; George Ruy, 10 yrs. old, M, b/New York. (data error - should be Margaret); Margaret Ruy, 4 yrs. old, F, b/Canada West. (data error - should be George); Emaline Ruy, 3 yrs. old, F, b/Minnesota. (this is Emely/Emily/Emma); Marrion (or Marrian) Ruy, 1 yr. old, F, b/ Minnesota, (this is Mary Ann). Another daughter, Martha (Mae/Madaline), was born on November 16, 1861 at Birch Cooley, Renville, Minnesota. On August 18, 1862 the Buery family included George and wife Salomé (Sally) plus six children ranging in age from 14 years to 9 months. George and Salomé Buery’s last child, Henry, was born on October 15, 1866 at Birch Cooley. This was the Buery family when, beginning the morning of August 18, 1862, the Dakota Sioux Indians began their massacre of inhabitants at the Lower Sioux Agency and then moved north across the Minnesota River where selers including the Buery and Kumro families were living in the Birch Cooley vicinity. The eyewitness narrave of the Buery family escaping to Fort Ridgely as seen through the eyes of 14 year-old Catherine Buery (later to become Mrs. John Vogtman) was published in the Hubbard Clipper newspaper on January 29, 1914. The Buery family is listed among the approximately 250 - 300 pioneer Refugees at Fort Ridgely as follows: The following paral list of those who found refuge in Ft. Ridgely the first day of the massacre shows many names of early selers of Renville County. According to the official reports the refugees at the fort from the various selements were:…La Croix Creek: George Buerry, aged thirty-seven, born in France. Sally Buerry, aged thirty-four, born in France, wife of George Buerry. C. Buerry, aged fourteen, born in Buffalo, New York, a girl. (Catherine) M. Buerry, aged twelve, born in Buffalo, New York, a girl. (Margaret) George Buerry, aged six, born in Canada, a boy. Emely Buerry, aged four, born in Minnesota, a girl. Mary Buerry, aged three, born in Minnesota, a girl. Martha Buerry, aged nine months, born in Minnesota, a baby. An excerpt from the inscripon on the monument erected by the state of Minnesota on the former site of Fort Ridgely details the severity and duraon of their ordeal: IN MEMORY OF THE FALLEN; IN RECOGNITION OF THE LIVING; AND FOR THE EMULATION OF FUTURE GENERATIONS Erected A. D. 1896, by the state of Minnesota, to preserve the site of Ft. Ridgely, a United States military post established in 1853, and especially to perpetuate the names and commemorate the heroism of the soldiers and cizens of the state, who successfully defended the fort during nine days of siege and investment, August 18-27, 1862, and who gallantly resisted two formidable and protracted assaults upon it, made August 20 and 22, 1862, by a vastly superior force of Sioux Indians under command of Lile Crow and other noted Indian leaders and warriors, August 18, 1862, the Sioux Indians of the Upper Minnesota river, in violaon of their treaes, broke into open rebellion, and within a few days thereaer massacred about one thousand cizens in the southwestern part of the state, and destroyed property of the value of millions of dollars. The pioneer refugees were eventually transported to safety to St. Peter by a convoy of civilian men with teams and wagons escorted by soldiers. From there, George Buery arranged for steamboat passage to St. Paul, but due to lack of food, bad river condions and a leaking boat, the family went only as far as Le Sueur. There, George Buery found work in the harvest fields for a dollar a day. In December, he walked to Mankato to witness the hanging of the 38 condemned Indians, many of whom he was acquainted with. George Buery and his family eventually made their way back to Mankato where they were listed in the 1865 Minnesota State Census.

15 1865 Minnesota Territorial Census Schedules, 1849-1855, Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, June 1, 1865, Image 16 of 32, Family 243, FamilySearch.org: George Beiry, 2 Males, 7 Females; Sarah, Margaret, George, Emma, Mary, Mathias (this is Martha/Mae), Caroline, Henriea. By this me, the family had grown with the addion of two daughters whose exact birth locaons are unknown since the family’s whereabouts between Aug 1862 and Jan 1865 are sketchy: Caroline (born Feb 1863 in Minnesota), Henriea (born November 1864 in Minnesota). On January 17, 1865, Catherine Buery married John Vogtman in Mankato. Later in 1865, George Buery returned with his family to his claim at Birch Cooley. Newlyweds John and Catherine Vogtman also relocated there to farm an adjacent claim and start their own family. The following excerpt, published in 1916, details the 1865 reselement of Birch Cooley Township by the Buery, Kumro, and Vogtman families: The vicinity of Morton has aracted selers since the earliest days. Even before the massacre George Buerry, Henry Keartner, and John Kumro had seled in this neighborhood. At the me the railroad came through there were quite a few farms along the old boom road which passed some half a mile back from the present site of the village. At this me the nearest residence was that of George Buerry. Aer the outbreak he had returned to his former claim and at the me the railroad came through he was living in a stone house which is sll standing. The house is located in the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of secon 30 Birch Cooley northeast of the village and on a piece of the old boom road now disconnued. To the southeast of Buerry on the same road was John Edge in the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of secon 32. Next to Edge's was the home of John Kumro in the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of secon 32. He had been here before the outbreak and had returned a year later than George Buerry. Northwest from Buerry along the same road was John Vogtman on the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of secon 30. He was a son in law of George Buery and returned with him aer the massacre. On August 1, 1871, George Buery was issued a Homestead Patent for a 160 acre tract of land located in Secons 30 and 31 of Township 113N, Range 34W, Birch Cooley Township, as follows: S ½ of SE ¼ of Secon 30 in Township 134, Range 34, N ½ of NE ¼ of Secon 31 in Township 134, Range 34. In 1882, a poron of his land in Secon 31 was included in the original survey of Morton Village. Morton was surveyed July, 1882, by George W. Cooley, on a poron of the west half of the northeast quarter and the east half of the northwest quarter of secon 31, township 113, range 34 and filed August 9, 1882. The original owners were William G. Bartley, Elizabeth S. Bartley, George Buerry and Salome Buerry. According to an 1883 Morton property assessment, the principal owners of the newly plaed Village were Geo. Berry (Buery), M. P. Hawkins, W. G. Bartley and C. E. Burhaus. Six of George Buery’s daughters also owned individual lots: Mary Jorges, lot 21, block 1 , Catherine Vogtman, lot 23, block 1, Emma Ahrens (Ahrendt), lot 24, block 1, Mae Berry (Buery), lot 1, block 2, Henriea Berry (Buery), lot 2, block 2, Caroline Berry (Buery), lot 3, block 2. According to a translaon of the 1888 plat map of Renville County, George Buery owned 150.47 acres in Secons 30 and 31 of Birch Cooley Township leaving approximately 9.53 acres on the west side of his land in Secon 31 that had been plaed in the Village of Morton. At that me, his stone farmhouse stood northeast of the village boundaries on his land in Secon 30. George Buery died on March 7, 1892 at Morton, Minnesota and is buried in the Morton City Cemetery, Lot 3, Block 22, Bed 16. His obituary reads: The funeral services of Mr. Geo. Buery, held at the Chrisan

16 church last Sunday aernoon, were well aended. Rev. Joscelyn preached a very pathec sermon from the text 'O death where is thy sng, Oh grave where is thy victory?'. Lying on the pulpit before him was the old family bible, worn by many years' service, and which with a few loaves of bread were the only things the family carried with them the me of the Indian massacre when they fled for the safety of the their lives. Salomé Buery died on April 18, 1898 in Morton, Minnesota and is buried next to George in Morton City Cemetery, Lot 3, Block 22, Bed 15. George Buery’s children from his first wife, Margaret Shirm, were: Magdalena (1847 – August 20, 1849); Catherine (June 1, 1848 – December 16, 1922); married John Vogtman; Margaret (May 1850 – March 28, 1873); married John Chrisan Ahrendt.

George Buery’s children from his second wife, Salomé Coffman (Kaufman) were: George Evere (June 5, 1856 – May 18, 1912); married Margaret B. Miller; Emely (November 3, 1857 – October 4, 1931); married John Chrisan Ahrendt; Mary Ann (December 6, 1859 – February 4, 1890); married Henry Jacob Jorges; Martha (November 16, 1861 – February 28, 1909); married Levi F. Charter; Caroline (February 1863 – 1905); married Le Roy J. Stegner; Henriea (November 1864 – October 13, 1953); married Luther D. Aldrich; Henry (October 15, 1866 – November 2, 1933); married Louise Scheer. EARLY PIONEERS Grandfather was born in Germany and when he was twenty years old he came to the United States. He then came from Buffalo, New York on a steamboat to Minnesota. He made his home first in Mankato, then in Birch Coulie Township. Grandfather plowed the land and established a homestead. He built a log house which he plastered inside and out with mud. He banked it on all sides with sod to provide more warmth. They began their residence on the homestead in 1859. This homestead was at the boom of the Buery Hill, which we now call the Greenslit Hill. During the first years on the homestead he plowed with a walking plow drawn by oxen. These oxen had to be led a great deal of the me. He sowed the grain by hand, cut it with a scythe and threshed it with a flail. It was at this me that my grandfather became friendly with the Indians who lived on a reservaon. Many mes the Indians and their wives would bring groceries to trade for garden vegetables. There was very lile money at this me and the Indians were very honest with my grandparents. My grandmother helped her husband with the outdoor work. When they stacked hay she would take the children along to the hay field, lay them down at the stack and begin to work. One day as they were stacking hay, a man came along on horseback and told them to start for Fort Ridgely. This man was Dietrick Wickman. He told them the Indians had started aacking the white people. Grandfather said that he had never harmed the Indians and that he didn’t think they would harm him. However, he finally decided to go. He drove to the house, replaced the hayrack with the wagon, loaded his family into the wagon, provided himself with provisions and a Bible and started for the fort. On the way to the fort they stopped for relaves. Aer driving about five miles, a band of Indians met them and commanded them to get off the wagon and go to the fort. They wanted to take some bread with them for the children but this was refused. The Indians turned my grandfather’s team around and connued on the trail. It is believed that due to the fact they did not carry a gun and kindness had been shown to one of the Indians the day before, they were not killed. Tired and footsore, they finally reached Fort Ridgely at the close of the day. Many of our early pioneers encountered much the same. Some, however, did not make it to the fort.

17 Note: Arcle wrien by Ruth Lillian (Buery) Harsen, granddaughter of George Buery, and published in book, Reflecons Yesterday and Today, Morton Centennial 1884-1984, Morton Centennial Commiee, 1983. Clement and Marguerita Perreault Cardinal Wrien by Rodney A. Cardinal, 2nd Great-Grandson Submied by Jenna Taverna, 3rd Great-Granddaughter Clement Cardinal was born in the village of St. Ours, Quebec Canada. His birth cerficate shows April 30; his grave marker shows March 31 as the date of his birth. He is the son of Pierre Leroux (Cardinal) and Marie Ann Dupre's (Pichet). Clement dropped Leroux when he immigrated to the US in 1850. He le St. Ours when he was 13 to join his brother, Pierre, who was 10 years older and had preceded him 4 years earlier at Lake Como, Ramsey County, MN. The 1850 Minnesota Territorial Census menons Clement Cardinal's name, but gives no other informaon. Clement soon thereaer moved to the present site of Henderson, MN in Sibley County and assisted in making the first clearing with Major Joseph R. Brown. On August 23, 1852, Major Brown, a prominent figure in Minnesota history (famed as a soldier, fur trader, lumberman, townsite promoter, Indian agent, polician, editor and inventor) came to the present site of Henderson with two or three other men (one who is thought to be Clement Cardinal) for the purpose of founding the town. This town was to be the halfway mark on a road which he had the contract to build between St. Paul and Fort Ridgely. They built two or three cabins that fall and within the next few years, Henderson grew rapidly. Clement then moved to Traverse des Sioux, just north of St. Peter in Nicollet Co. He was employed in the fur trade with the Indians, staying for five years, the last three being in business by himself. He was then employed by a fur company located in Renville County, but aer two more years he quit to start farming. Clement probably met Marguerita Perreault, born in 1840 or 41, daughter of Pierre and Elizabeth Perreault, while her family was living in Traverse des Sioux, in Nicollet County. At the me of the 1857 census, Marguerita's family was located in Township 111, Range 26 which is located in the northeast secon of Nicollet County, near the river, north of the present site of St. Peter. One other note in the Minnesota 1857 census is that Peter Cardinelle, brother of Clement was in Centerville, MN seling there in secon 21 in 1851 or 52. Peter Cardinelle was preceded in Centerville, Anoka Co. only by Frenchmen named Lamoe and Lavallee. The 1858 Treaty of Traverse des Sioux was an important event in the lives of the Cardinals and Perraults. They were probably not only there for this occasion but it enabled them to move to and buy property formerly reserved for the Dakota Indians. In 1851, the Indians had ceded to the US their land in southern and western MN, part of Iowa and the Dakotas, amounng to 24,000,000 acres, so that this land could be legally opened to white selement. The 1851 treaty le about 7,000 Indians on two reservaons bordering the upper Minnesota River, but in 1858 at Traverse des Sioux the Indians agreed to give up the strip of land north of the river. Then those Indians who wanted to sele the land and farm would be able to do so. So another million acres came available to the selers and it was shortly aer that the Cardinals and Perreaults moved from Nicollet Co. to Renville Co. They moved just across the river from the Lower Sioux Agency which was an administrave center established by the federal government. On February 23, 1858, Clement and Marguerita were married in Mankato, Blue Earth County, MN at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. According to the church records, both Marguerita and her husband Clement Cardinal, 20, were from Traverse des Sioux. Witnesses to the marriage were Marguerita's father, Pierre Perreault and a William Boyd of Nicollet County. 18 By the me of the 1860 census in June of that year, Clement and Marguerita had moved to Beaver Creek in Renville County where they claimed land there opposite the Lower Sioux Agency. The Beaver Creek (Falls) area was very prosperous at this me. It was the county seat of Renville County from about 1860-1900. It had a hotel, flour mill, blacksmith shop, merchandise store, bank, school, saloon, implement and hardware store, lumber sawmill, lumberyard and brewery. On May 26, 1862, Clement bought 80 acres of land from Francis LaBath of the Lower Sioux Agency for $100. The legal descripon is the south half of the northeast quarter of secon 29 in township 113, north of range number 34 west. This is just northeast of the present site of Morton, MN. This land was within a half mile of the Indian baleground at Birch Coulie. The Indians during this me were having problems of their own. They were not geng paid for the land the government had goen from them. They were not able to hunt and fish throughout the land as they did previously and they were starving. The Indians did not adapt well to farming. Confined to the reservaons along the Minnesota River, Chief Big Eagle later remarked that it seemed too sudden to make such a change. Unhappy with the whole situaon, the Indians in August 1862 made an intense effort to drive the selers off the land. On August 18, 1862, the Indians aacked the Lower Sioux Agency and it wasn't long before they crossed the river and preceded to loot, kill and burn buildings on the north side. At the onset of the Sioux uprising of 1862 there were close to 20 families, mostly French Canadians and half bloods, living in the Birch-LaCroix area of Renville County, directly across the Minnesota River from the Lower Sioux Agency. In the 1860 census, Clement Cardinal was shown as having $300 worth of real estate and $175 worth of personal estate. The residents of this area were in the process of officially organizing Renville County and in the local elecons of the summer of 1862; Clement Cardinal was elected an official, exactly what his office was to be is not known as everything was completely destroyed in the Sioux Uprising and the selers le the area. As the terror spread as a result of the Indian uprising, Marguerita's father, Pierre, was one of those killed and her brother in law, Eusebi Picard, was also killed. Her mother, brothers and sisters managed to escape and they made their way 13 miles down the river to Fort Ridgely, a military post. Marguerita, however, was captured by the Indians, along with her young child, Clement Jr., and her niece, Elizabeth Picard. They were not killed because the Indian's had some superson about red hair and the children were redheads. The capves were taken upstream to Camp Release near Montevideo where they were kept in tents and where they nearly starved to death. While being held capve, Marguerita was raped by an Indian named Tehe do ne cha (meaning "one who forbids his tent"). There were 269 capves being held mostly women and children. Their existence was miserable, with a minimum of food and clothing, unl their release on September 26, 1862. Two days later, the Indian trials began and the Indian that raped Marguerita was the second to be tried. Marguerita charged Tehe do ne cha with raping her on the third day of her capvity. He confessed and was found guilty of ravishing women. He was one of the 39 Indians who were hung in Mankato, MN on December 26, 1862. Over 300 had been convicted, but aer reviewing the maer, President Lincoln approved death sentences of only 39 - those who had raped or been involved in the more serious crimes. Only two were convicted of raping. Clement, in the meanme, had been wounded by the Indians, but dragged himself to a hiding place unl they were gone. He escaped to Fort Ridgely and was one of the men there who was given arms to protect the fort. His name appears on the monument at Fort Ridgely. The names of Marguerita's mother, Elizabeth Perreault; her sister, Elizabeth Picard, and her brother Joseph Perreault are also engraved on the monument. It is likely that Clement was among those soldiers and volunteers under Colonel Sibley's command who were there to demand the release of capves on September 26, 1862.

19 In the late fall of 1862, Clement and his family, aer spending about 10 years in the Minnesota River Valley, le to join his brother, Pierre (Peter) in Centerville, MN. Peter had married Sophia LaVallee, august 16, 1847, in St. Ours, Quebec. In 1863, Clement purchased his own farm, just south of Centerville, from Ira Bidwell. Clement Cardinal's great grandson, Andrew (and his sons) sll farm a poron of that land at 6657 Centerville Road. Centerville (named for its central locaon between the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers), White Bear Lake and Lile Canada were being seled by French Canadians who had le the valley. Farming became their main livelihood. Clement and Marguerita never le Centerville. On January 30, 1868, Clement sold his 80 acres in Renville County to Michael Brazel for $450. We do not know if Clement and Marguerita had any children between 1859-1862. According to the arcle that appeared in the Anoka, Minnesota Herald on August 23, 1907 (following Clem's death) there were 11 children born to the marriage. Clem Jr. was an infant at the me of the Sioux Uprising in August 1862. Marguerita's mother died October 14, 1872 due to consumpon (Tuberculosis). Her sister, Elizabeth, remarried in 1863 and became Mrs. Joseph Reneau; her sister Genevieve was married in 1865 and became Mrs. Theaulon Luce. The following are the children we know of Marguerita Perrault and Clement Cardinal: Clement Jr.: red hair, born 1862, married Delina Bibeau on 8-29-1881 in a double wedding with Auxilliane. Auxilliane: born 5-10-1864, married her cousin, Eusibi Picard 8-29-1881 (son of Elizabeth Perrault). She died in 1940- St. Genevieve's Cemetery, Centerville. Louis: red hair, born 8-12-1866. Married an Indian, lived in Two Harbors, MN. Dolphis: born 8-9-1868, married his cousin, Isabelle Luce (Genevieve Perrault's daughter) on 2-16-1892. Witnesses to the wedding were Adolph Luce and Julius Cardinal (do not know the relaonship of Julius). Stayed on farm- buried in St. Genevieve's, Centerville. Ausona/Hosanna (male) born 7-30-1871 and was living in Two Harbors, MN in 1907. Came to St. Paul, buried in Centerville. Julienne: born 11-29-1873, married Edward LeCuyer, they lived in Minneapolis. Pierre/Peter: red hair, born 10-28-1876. Ran a beer tavern in St. Paul. Louiseana/Alosia: born 7-20-1879. Married her cousin, Sylvan Cardinal, lived in St. Paul. Marguerita: born 5-22-1881, married Joseph Nedeau, lived in Cass Lake, MN. George: born 4-28-1883. died in 1885 at age 2 from Diphtheria; buried with his parents in St. Genevieve's. Joseph Cezaire: born 7-15-1887, died 1-15-1913 from Tuberculosis. Single, was a saloon keeper in Minneapolis. Marguerita Perreault Cardinal died July 15, 1893 at 52 years of age. Marguerita and 12 year old Margaret and 6 year old Joseph were waing on a horse drawn wagon for Clement to join them when the horse or horses got scared and Marguerita was thrown from the wagon and killed. Clement Cardinal died August 12, 1907 at 70 years of age from heart disease. They are both buried at St. Genevieve's Cemetery in Centerville, MN. David and Elizabeth Carrothers The Carrothers family lived in the Beaver Creek selement in 1862. Their cabin was located on secon 22, township 113, range 35, near the present day town of Morton, MN. David was a brother to James 20 who lived on an adjoining claim; both were employed as carpenters for the government at the Lower Sioux Agency. On August 18, families were warned that the Dakota were killing whites. The Beaver Creek neighbors rallied together and met at the Earle home to plan their escape. They loaded their two wagons and a buggy, hitched up their horses, and twenty-seven men, women and children headed for Fort Ridgely when they were aacked by the Dakota. They were told by one Indian, “We are going to kill you.” The men negoated and were able to keep one buggy and one team.

The women, including Elizabeth with her baby, Emmet, and John and William, walked ahead, and for some reason, the Dakota had a change of heart and demanded their horses. The men would now have to pull the buggy by hand. Elizabeth was then in the buggy shielding Clarissa Henderson with an umbrella as she was ill. The Dakota began shoong, Elizabeth jumped out of the wagon, and two bullets cut through her dress without hing her. The selers scaered for safety and ran for their lives. Elizabeth, now carrying her baby, was exhausted, but connued running. The Carrothers family had now split up, Elizabeth with her baby, Emmet, David with 6-year old son, John, and 7-year old William who had fled with the other boys. Thinking that son John would be safer with his mother, he ordered him back to her side. As young John stood there crying, trying to decide what to do, an Indian killed him. William was picked off next as he aempted to flee. The Dakota took Elizabeth and her baby hostage, along with ten other women and children. David made it to safety, and when the family was reunited, he built the first house in Beaver Falls. Helen and James Carrothers Helen was born in Wisconsin to parents Thomas & Laura Paddock, both naves of Vermont. She was named aer heroine Lady Helen Mar from the historic novel, The Scosh Chiefs, by Jane Porter, first published in 1810. The name carried through four generaons of daughters beginning with Helen Mar Paddock: Helen Mar McNanney (1873-1912), Helen Mar Riddle (1898-1950), and Helen Mar Johnston (1929-2010). In October 1856, when she was only 13 years old, Helen married James Carrothers, age 26. In 1857, following a move to Winona, MN, the couple moved to the southwest quarter of secon 22 in Beaver Falls Township, Renville County, MN, six miles from the Lower Sioux Indian Agency, where Mr. Carrothers was employed as a carpenter. They were some of the first white residents of the area, known as the Beaver Creek selement, and here their children Althea & Thomas were born; Helen was only 15 years old when she gave birth to Althea. Mr. Carrothers could be away from home for several days at a me, so Helen became acquainted with the Dakota Indians and learned their language. The medicine man taught her how to gather and use herbs to make medicine, and she would go with him to nurse the sick. By the summer of 1862, the number of white selers in the area had grown, and their Dakota neighbors, angry with condions at the reservaon, turned hosle. On August 18, 1862, the first day of the Dakota uprising, Indians aacked the whites at the Lower Sioux Agency and at the selements in the region, killing hundreds, and taking over one hundred, mostly women and children, as prisoners. When word of the uprising reached the Beaver Creek selement, several residents gathered at the Jonathan Earle farm where they made plans to go (by teams and wagons) to Ft. Ridgely, some 16 miles to the east, for protecon. They 21 traveled just a short distance when they were surrounded by Indians who began shoong at them. Some in the group were killed, some escaped, and the rest, women and children, including Helen and her two children (her husband was away at the me), were captured. All were inially taken to Chief Lile Crow's village. Helen and her children escaped from this camp, and, aer eight days of terrific hardship, they reached Ft. Ridgely. In me, refugees at the fort were taken to St. Peter and then to St. Paul.

Following the uprising, Helen and James were divorced. He joined the cavalry in Wisconsin and went to the South, and she went to work for Joseph and Valencia Reynolds, owners of the Northwestern Hotel in St. Peter. She worked there for two years, then went to the home of her parents, who had moved from Wisconsin to Dodge County, MN. Here she met a Mr. McNanney, and they were married in October 1869. They eventually had three children, Helen Mar, Arthur, and Moses. The couple moved to Brainerd, MN, were there for seven years, then moved to Bismarck, ND, and then to Montana. Mr. McNanney was involved in lumbering and railroad construcon, and he died in Montana. Aer his death, Helen remained in the area and was hired to cook for employees of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Later, she le Montana and came to Minneapolis, working for a while as a dressmaker, and then operated a boarding house. Aer several years in Minneapolis, she moved west again, first to Portland, OR, and then to Tacoma, WA, where she kept another boarding house. During this me, she twice lost everything to fires. She finally returned to her old home in Dodge County, MN, and, in November 1896, married Lemon H. Tarble, a widower. They farmed land in secons 5, 6, and 8 in the northwest part of Ashland township, near Dodge Center, MN, unl 1905, when they moved into town. Helen was the author of a book, published in 1904, giving the story of her capture and escape from the Indians. During this me, she lectured on the subject of the uprising, and, for a number of years during the state fair, she had charge of the old selers building. Mr. Tarble died in 1918. Helen died on July 2, 1921, and was survived by a daughter, a son, and three grandchildren. Her obituary menons that, in her last few years, she was tenderly cared for by her son, Arthur J. McNanney, and "everything was done for her that a loving heart and hands could do.” Her funeral was held at the Methodist Church in Dodge Center. Findagrave Memorial by Bill Cox, photo courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society at hp://collecons.mnhs.org/visualresources/details.cfm? imageid=176323&ImageNum=1&Page=1&Keywords=Helen%20Carrothers&SearchType=Basic Charles and Carolina Wolf Clasen Submied by Jan Clasen Klein, 2nd Great-Granddaughter Charles Clasen (Johan Henry Clasen) was killed on August 18, 1862. His wife, Carolina Wolf Clasen escaped to Fort Ridgely. His son, Johan Clasen escaped to Fort Ridgely. His son, Friedrich Clasen was killed on August 18, 1862 Martha McConnell Clasen, Frederick’s wife, and 2 daughters were taken hostage. My great-great grandparents, Henry Charles (Johan Heinrich, Charles Clasen) and Carolina Wolf Clasen were married in Blankenhagen Parish on March 21, 1829. They had 5 children, Sophia, Friederick, Carl, Johann and Maria. Friederick, Carl and Johan came to America at various mes. Sophia remained in Germany and Maria died young. Henry and Carolina immigrated to America in 1856 from Willershagen, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany. On the 1860 census, they were enumerated in Milford, Brown, MN living next to the Carl Heuer family, Henry’s half brother and Carolina’s sister. At that me, they were living with their son, Fritz and Martha McConnell Clasen. Someme between 1860 - 1862, Henry and Carolina moved to the Birch Coulie area. Even if they had remained in Milford, they most certainly would have perished there with the 46 others who died that day. 22 When I began researching my family’s involvement with the Dakota War of 1862 in the early 1980s, I first visited the Minnesota Historical Society’s manuscripts division on Mississippi St. I found, in Marion Saerlee’s papers, documents that showed a Charles and Frederick Clasen were among those killed by the Indians in the Sioux Uprising. This brought chills to my heart. It was a family history that had been passed down through the generaons, but now I found it was true. I then began the process of further documentaon searching historic references by Charles Bryant (A History of the Great Massacre by the Sioux Indians in Minnesota) and Franklyn Curss-Wedge (History of Renville County). They all confirmed what Saerlee had said. I located a leer that my grandfather, Henry Clasen, had wrien to his niece on February 14, 1961. Here is a poron of that leer: “The beginning of this war: Grandfather (Henry Charles), Uncle Marn (Frederick) and John had been to Birch Coulie. When they arrived home, Grandmother was gone. Thinking that the Indians had been there and that she was either captured or killed, they decided to head for Fort Ridgely. Before leaving a neighbor walked in the yard. They asked him to come with them, but he told . . . he would have to go back home and bury his wife who was killed and lying in the yard. Uncle John said he would help him bury his dead. They were just finished when some Indians spied them. They managed to get to a marsh nearby where they hid in the rushes for three days. They got to Fort Ridgely, but Grandfather and Uncle Marn as well as horse and wagon were never found. They figured that they were killed and drowned by the Indians. (This is possible as their bodies were never found.) The people knew that this outbreak would happen sooner or later. Grandmother had a hiding place in their cornfield where she hid bread in damp towels for an imergancy (sp.). Corn was in the toasng stage. That is what she subsided on for some days. One day a French man came along on horseback driving a herd of cale. He took her along to the fort. . . .” It is not clear if this is all correct. Saerlee did not say when Carolina Clasen arrived at the fort, only that she and son John were there. So it could be possible. Carolina lived out the rest of her life, nearly 30 years aer the outbreak, with her sons, Carl and John, at their homes. Family stories indicated her life was in shambles aer the uprising. She was forced to live with her son’s family who helped with her care. She lived to the age of 91 and died in New Ulm at the home of her son, Carl Clasen. Carl and Chrisana Clasen immigrated in 1876 probably because of the need to help care for his mother. His brother, John, who was the primary caregiver, was moving to town in Gaylord, MN to open a hotel. In 2011, I discovered two other authors who had wrien about my ancestors: Michno, Gregory F., Dakota Dawn P. 75-76: “Beaver Creek: Others lived farther up the creek and on the surrounding bluffs, including George Buerry, John Kumro, Peter Pereau, Joseph and David McConnell, John Vogtman, Clement Cardinal, Carl Wi and Charles Clasen.” (Map E shows homesteads on the east side of Birch Coulie, from the north to the south: P. Pereau, C. Cardinal, C. Clasen, C. Wi, D. McConnell, and E. Piquar.) Some got away and others did not...... The rampaging Dakotas moved north. Charles Clasen with his wife and son John, his married son Frederick, Frederick’s wife, Martha, and their two children, plus Thomas Brook, were preparing for a trip when the Dakotas appeared. Had they le the day before all of them would have survived. The Indians killed Charles and Frederick Clasen and Thomas Brook and captured Martha Clasen and her two children. Mrs. Charles Clasen (Carolina) and John Clasen made it to the fort.” Dahlin, Curs A., The Dakota Uprising, A Pictorial History P. 257: Tehedonecha, or One Who Forbids His House, was the second person tried by the Military Commission on September 28, 1862. He was charged with killing Fred Clasen, Fred’s father, Charles, and Charles’ (it should be Frederick’s) nephew Thomas Brooks on August 19 near Beaver Creek. The

23 witness against him for this charge was Fred’s wife, Martha. There was, however, a discrepancy in the locaon where these killings took place. The Commission stated that it was at Beaver Creek yet it actually took place a half mile south of the Birch Coulie balefield.” There is the transcript of that trial found at hp://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/rials/dakota/Trialrec1.html. I am certain my great-great grandmother’s remaining life was in turmoil aer what she endured in her lifeme. She lost her husband, her son, and her sister’s enre family. Her son’s wife and her two granddaughters were taken hostage for 6 weeks. I can also imagine the horror when the remaining Clasen family in Germany heard the news of the violence against their now-American family. Here is my great-great grandmother’s obituary: New Ulm Post, April 4, 1895 Mrs. Carolina Clasen, the aged mother of Carl and John Clasen, died on Tuesday morning in the apartment of Carl at the age of nearly 91 years. The deceased was considered to be one of the oldest selers of this local region and she lost her husband and a son, who were murdered by Indians in the Indian Massacre of 1862; she herself escaped a close encounter with death by the tomahawk of the wild brutes. The funeral of the deceased will be held this aernoon at 2:00 at the Lutheran Church. Gaylord Hub, April 13, 1895: Mrs. Carolina Clasen died Tuesday morning at the age of 91 years and was buried from the Lutheran Church Thursday. She was one of the first selers in Brown County and at the me of the Indian outbreak her husband and one son were killed.The above menoned deceased is the mother of Mr. John Clasen of Gaylord. Johan Heinrich Clasen and Emile Klappenbach John Clasen was my great-grand uncle and son of Henry Charles Clasen (Johan Heinrich, Charles Clasen) and Carolina Wolf. He escaped to Fort Ridgely when the Dakota aacked their home on August 18, 1862. It is not certain if he accompanied his mother, Carolina, as family lore has it that he stayed back and helped bury a neighbor’s wife. Could this be Fredricka Wi? Nonetheless, he lost his father and his brother, Frederick in the conflict, and he and his mother were among those listed as refugees at Fort Ridgely. John inherited the Heuer family farm in Milford, MN aer his uncle, Carl Heuer and his enre family was killed at Milford. He shared that inheritance with the two small daughters of his brother, Frederick and Martha McConnell Clasen. John eventually enlisted and served in the Civil War. He led an illustrious life. One of his children, Emil C. became an editor and publisher, and it is he who prepared this biography. From the files of Sam (Floyd) Clasen, son of Emil and grandson of Johan Clasen: Comments from persons who knew Johann Heinrich Carl Joachim Clasen indicated that he led an extremely interesng life. Unfortunately, the events in Johann's life from the me he le Germany unl he arrived in the United States in the New Ulm area are hard to trace. Addional research may produce some new and interesng bits of informaon. John was born April 8, 1834, at Willershagen, Rostock, Germany, and was christened the same month of that year at the church at Willershagen. He was the third of four children born at Rostock to laborer Johann Heinrich Clasen and Carolina Maria Fredricka Wolf. "The o-told story" goes that John Clasen, to avoid conscripon and service in the Kaiser's army, le home at about the age of 13 or 14, about 1848, and made his way to England. He may have at this me signed on as a cabin-boy in the Royal English Navy and later is also said to have enlisted on a merchant ship that sailed to Arabia. At the Gulf of Aden all the men aboard were put on a warship and taken to

24 Brish India where he served three years as an English Soldier. The year 1853 is menoned as the date he fought with the Royal Marines in the "Sepoy Rebellion" in India. John eventually landed in France but did not want to go back to Germany for he was subject to the dra at Hamburg. At that me Germany was not united but the area consisted of free cies like Hamburg, Luebeck, and Bremen, and these were at war with one of their neighbors. He went from Europe to the United States, either to Boston or New York. Upon his arrival he became ill and was hospitalized. All his money was gone aer his recovery so he enlisted on a coal boat which was going to Cuba. Upon his return to port he travelled to Minnesota, crossing the river at LaCrosse by ferry and passed through Owatonna. He went west and at a point about 30 miles from Birch Coulie, walked the rest of the way to the farm and home of his parents.

Someme during this period his parents emigrated from Germany to America. One brother Frederick, apparently, stopped off on the east coast, because, as was menoned previously, "came to Birch Coulie, Minnesota, with his wife, Martha McConnell, from Massachuses." John's parents had taken up a homestead in Milford Township, Brown County, near New Ulm. The "War of Rebellion" occupied another part of John Clasen's life. According to the final records of Company "A" of the 11th Regiment Infantry Minnesota Volunteers, John Clasen was enrolled August 24, 1864, as a volunteer in the Union Army. He was described as "twenty-eight years of age, five feet 5 1/2 inches high, fair complexion, blue eyes, and light hair and by occupaon when enrolled, a sailor." The unit was ordered to Nashville, Tennessee, and was engaged in guarding the railroad between Nashville and Louisville, unl it was mustered out of the Regiment, June 26, 1865. In the same Company A, was another man from Southern Minnesota, Andrew Bauer, whose life and death would affect the future of John Clasen. The two men were sent with Company A to the bale front of the Civil War in the Confederate state of Tennessee and there, in the Spring of 1865, Cpl. Andrew Bauer was killed in acon.

Andrew Bauer was married to Emilie Klappenbach before going into the Army aer being draed and the couple had two children, Henry and Guse (Augusta). Evidently Bauer and Clasen became friends and John, in the anxiety and uncertainty before going into bale, had promised Andrew that, in event of Bauer's death, John would go and see Emilie when and if he returned from the War. Andrew Bauer died in Gallan, TN. The 1890 census, Special Schedule, Eleventh Census U.S. Surviving Soldiers - County of Sibley, indicated that John Clasen, with the rank of Private of Company A, Regiment 11, Infantry, was discharged with his Regiment, in 1865, having served 11 months and that he had a disability of Rheumasm aer the war. Records show that he was receiving a pension for his service April 11, 1893. John returned to Brown County, Minnesota, and to the farm in Milford Township. Aer the horrors of war had subsided a bit, John Clasen honored his promise and visited the widow Emilie Bauer and her two children. The wiry well-traveled bachelor must have appealed to the young widow, for they were married September 20 (28th), 1865, in the Township of Kelso, Sibley County, by Jusce of the Peace Delger. All records, including the marriage license, were destroyed by fire.

25 The couple eventually took up residence on the Clasen farm in Milford Township. John Clasen fought in the Civil War serving in Gallan, TN under Adam Buck. He mustered in at Fort Snelling and applied for a pension cing eye sight problems and chronic rheumasm, Cerficate 238907 filed in Gaylord, Sibley Co., MN. He received $72/month unl April 4, 1925. Date of death-May 3, 1925.” John and Emile had 8 children, and he and his family lived on the Milford farm that he inherited aer the uprising. In 1870-1880, his mother, Carolina was living with the Clasen family. By 1900 they were living in Dryden in Sibley County and they eventually moved to Gaylord. He died at the home of his son, Emil in Cokato in 1925. Obituary, Gaylord Hub, 1925: Civil and Indian War Veteran Answers Roll Call John Clasen, One of Last of Veterans Goes to His Reward at Age of Ninety-one Years Father Time is gradually taking his toll, and this week one of the early selers of our community, Mr. John Clasen, a Civil War Veteran, was called to his Maker. The passing of Mr. Clasen, came in peaceful sleep last Sunday, May 3rd, at the hour of Noon, at the home of his son E. C. Clasen of Cokato, with whom the aged veteran had made his home the past two years. Mr. Clasen aained the age of 91 years, aer a life well spent. He was born on April 8th, 1834 in Blankenhagen, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany. At the age of seventeen he chose the life of a sailor, which he followed for ten years. At the age of 21 he enlisted in the English Navy as a member of the 72nd Highlanders of Scotland and served in the Sepoy War of the East Indian rebellion. At the close of Mr. Clasen's enlistment, he came to America, to the home of his parents in Birch Cooley, in the year of 1862. In the same year aer his arrival here, he enlisted with General Sibley, seeing service during the Indian outbreak, and was one of the recruits who captured Lile Crow. Duty to his adopted country again called him into the service, when the Civil War came on. He enlisted as a volunteer with the 11th Minnesota and endured all the hardships of that great and memorable struggle. Returning to this state Mr. Clasen lived in the vicinity of and later in New Ulm, before coming to this place in the year of 1882, when Gaylord was just building, only a few buildings doed this secon then. He and his family were among the first to sele here, conducng a hotel for many years. He rered many years ago. He was married to Emelia Klappenbach before seling in Gaylord, his helpmate passing to her last rest in 1894, at this place. Since that me he has resided with members of his family here, unl two years ago, when he went to Cokato, to the home of his youngest son, E. C. Clasen. His memory is mourned by 5 daughters and two sons: Mrs. L. A. Papke, St. Paul; Mrs. J. B. Hieber, Lidgerwood, N. Dak. Mrs. Frank A. Burgen, Wakhon, Minn.; Mrs. Emile Cabillot, Hankinson, N. Dak., Mrs. G. C. Gaylord of this place; sons Chas. Clasen, St. Paul, and Emil C. Clasen, Cokato, Minn. A host of old acquaintances in the old home also mourn his passing. The deceased was a member of the Masonic order of New Ulm. He had served this community as a member of the village council during the early days, and was a public spirited cizen; a man who was honored and well thought of by everyone. At the compleon of the new State Capitol in St. Paul, Mr. Clasen took part in the ceremonies, sharing the honor of carrying one of the regimental flags from the old capitol to the new edifice. The last rites for this veteran were held on Tuesday at the Congregaonal church, at 2 o'clock, when relaves and friends paid their last respects to his memory. Rev. Thomas W. Barbour conducted the service, a vocal quartet and duet being contributed during the services. Many prey floral offerings adorned the casket, which was draped with the flag under which the departed saw service. The procession formed down Fourth Street, with members of the Manthey-Asmus Post forming the escort. Brother Masons of New Ulm, Winthrop and this place were next in line, with relaves and friends and

26 Civil War veterans. Interment was made in the family lot in the cemetery south of town under auspices of the Masonic lodge of New Ulm, assisted by the Winthrop order, the services closing with taps and usual ceremony by the Legion squad. Messrs. Dr. W. P. Olson, E. P. Hoerschgen, Andrew Nelson, S. J. Maurer, R. H. Werges and A. H. Schue, were pall bearers. The Hub offers condolence to the bereaved family in their loss of one near and dear to them. Friedrich and Martha McConnell Clasen Friedrich was my great-grand uncle. He came to America in 1856 with his parents, Johan Heinrich and Carolina Clasen. According to another Clasen genealogy, Friedrich must have stopped in Massachuses upon emigrang and married Martha McConnell. He may have stopped there but he married her in Minnesota. Martha and her mother and siblings were living in Dedham, MS aer emigrang from Scotland. A marriage document between Fritz Clasen, of Milford Township and Martha McConnell of Milford Township was found at the Brown County Courthouse. Date of Marriage, April 21, 1860. Witnesses were David McConnell and Henry Clasen, her brother and his father. Fritz and his wife Martha were living in the Birch Coulie area with her mother, Ellen Carson McConnell and her son, David. (See the McConnell family story in this secon.) They were the parents of two children, Ellen Jane born January 11, 1861 and Mary Ellen, born May 10, 1862, both born in Birch Coulie. He was killed while trying to escape to Fort Ridgely. Martha and her two small children were taken hostage. Footnote I have carefully driven around the Birch Coulie area where the murders supposedly took place, and there are no commemorave markers nong the deaths of Charles (Henry) and his son, Frederick. I believe they were buried where they fell by a burying party led by Colonel Sibley. It would be my wish to someday place a marker near where they died. In doing research on the Clasen family, I noted many name discrepancies. Henry was bapzed, married and known as the father of his 5 children as Johan Heinrich, enumerated on census in Germany as Carl, listed on Passenger Arrival Records as Hein. Classen, and listed on the 1860 census in Minnesota as Henry. But all of the records regarding the uprising have him named as Charles Clasen. One source spells the name Closen. Jonathan and Amanda Macomber Earle Fieen year old Radnor Earle and his family lived in Renville County, Minnesota in 1862. They lived on a claim across the Minnesota River from the Dakota Indians. The Dakota were frustrated with their situaon for a variety of reasons, and on August 18, 1862, they decided to go to war against the whites. That morning, they aacked the Lower Sioux Agency and also selers living in Renville and Brown Counes. Upon hearing word that the Dakota were killing whites, a party of about 27 or 28 selers gathered at the home of Radnor's parents, Jonathan and Amanda Earle. The group decided to flee to safety at Fort Ridgely, which was about 18 miles to the southeast. However, Dakota warriors were soon in the area, and the fleeing group did not get far before the Dakota challenged them, and then fired on them. A number of the selers were killed, some taken capve, and yet others fled. Jonathan and Radnor were among those who fled. But they had not gone far when the Dakota were closing in on them. Jonathan told Radnor, whose gun was loaded with pebbles as he did not have any ammunion, to turn and fire on the Dakota, and then run. Radnor, however, dropped down in the grass facing the Dakota, which slowed them down. This gave Jonathan a chance to get away. Radnor then shot, and the Dakota came up and killed him. Jonathan and two other sons were able to make it to safety. These two sons, Chalon and Ezmon, were with the Joseph R. Brown burial party which was sent forth from Fort Ridgely on August 31, 1862. They found Radnor's body on the prairie, and buried him there. 27 They were both fortunate to survive the bale of Birch Coulie, when the Dakota aacked the burial pares encampment on September 2. Someme in the 1860s, the family erected a gravestone with a lamb on top over Radnor's lone grave, facing in the direcon from which the Dakota had come that fateful morning. The surviving family then moved to LeMars, Iowa. Jonathan died there in 1874, and it was his wish that Radnor's gravestone be moved to be next to his in LeMars. But oddly enough, Radnor's remains were le there. In 1907, another marker was placed on Radnor's grave, but it too was moved in the early 1980s to a nearby roadside rest. This roadside rest is on U. S. Highway 71, about 3.6 miles north of Minnesota Highway 19 at Morton. So Radnor, who at different mes had two gravestones or markers, now has none. The inscripon on the gravestone at LeMars reads "In Memoriam. Radnor Clion, Son of Jonathan W. Earle, Amanda M. Earle, Born Feb. 17, 1847, Massacred Aug. 18, 1862 By the Sioux, while defending his father. Noble boy, too good for earth, In Heaven rest evermore." The Dakota were also called the Sioux. The marker in Renville County reads "Erected by the Renville Co. Pioneers, Aug. 18, 1907. In Memory of Radnor Earle who was killed by the Indians in the Massacre of Aug. 18, 1862, while saving his Father's life." Findagrave Memorial by Curs Dahlin. Balthasar and Teresa Eisenreich Balthasar and his family lived in the Beaver Creek selement, just north of the Minnesota River. The morning of the outbreak, August 18, 1862, they fled their homestead and caught up with John and Patrick Hayden on the road to Fort Ridgely. Near the Redwood Ferry, the Dakota jumped the party, killed Pat Hayden and then Balthasar. His wife and her children, Peter, Sophie, Mary and Joseph were then taken to the Faribault house where they were sequestered with the surviving Junis and Zimmermans. The Dakota then le for other prey, and the frightened selers remained in the house unl Captain Marsha and his soldiers found them. The three families then fled to the fort, but eventually the Eisenreichs were captured, as they were found at Camp Release on September 26, 1862. Louisa Frohrip Submied by Kathy Brown, Second Great-Grand Niece

Louisa was born September 6, 1839 in Germany and died November 26, 1921 in Redwood Falls, MN. She was the daughter of Maria Bahlke and Johan Frohriep. In 1855, aer Johan died in Germany, Maria and some of her children immigrated to America with her brother Andrew Bahlke. Louisa worked at the Lower Sioux Agency at the me of the outbreak and escaped to Fort Ridgely. Andrew was killed that day at the homestead located on the bluff north of Morton, MN. Her mother Maria was seriously wounded. Louisa married Valenn Bo in 1864 and they seled in Redwood Falls where they raised their family. She is buried in the Lamberton City Cemetery outside of Lamberton MN, with her husband Valenn and two of her sons. 28 John Hayden, Patrick and Mary Hayden

John and Patrick were brothers who were homesteading east of the mouth of Beaver Creek at the me of the uprising. Patrick and his wife, Mary, had a small child called Catherine; John was unmarried. Patrick was warned about the uprising while traveling to the Redwood River by Thomas Robinson. He returned home, and the family packed quickly, hitched their wagon and headed for safety, alarming their neighbors along the way of their plight. They picked up several neighbors, the Junis’ and the Zimmermans’, on their way. But for some reason, John and Patrick were skepcal that this uprising was occurring and they headed back to their homes. They did not feel the Indians would kill anyone and had planned to give them provisions if they wanted them.

The Hayden, Juni and Zimmerman party connued on and eventually arrived at David Faribault’s place. In the meanme, John and Patrick had a change of heart and headed east hoping to catch up with Mary and Catherine. When they approached the Redwood Ferry, the Dakota jumped them and killed John and later killed Patrick. When Mary heard the fighng at the ferry, she ran from the Faribault house with her baby. She hid in the thickets south of the road unl sundown and made her way to Fort Ridgely, arriving three hours later. Stephen and Clarissa Henderson On August 18, 1862, the Henderson family and their two daughters, one named Lydia, were part of the group of twenty-seven men, women and children that gathered at the Jonathan Earle house to plan their escape from the marauding Dakota. As they began their exodus, Clarissa lay ill on a feather maress in their family buggy. They had only travelled one-half mile when sixteen Indians came upon them and blocked their path. Stephen, who spoke Dakota fluently, negoated with them and agreed they would give up their two teams and two wagons, but keep the buggy and one team for his wife and children. The Dakota agreed but then shortly aer changed their minds and demanded the horses as well. They now had to pull the buggy by hand. The party had proceeded but a short distance when the Indians began firing on them. The men dropped the buggy and ran, but Stephen and young Jehiel Wedge stayed with Clarissa, Jehiel only to be killed as he was aempng to wave a white pillowcase showing surrender. Stephen had his forefinger clipped while holding the other side of the pillowcase and then he took off. Clarissa watched as the warriors threw her two-year old and nine-month old daughters out of the buggy and beat their heads with violins. They then dumped Clarissa on the ground with her children, threw the maress over them and set it on fire. The eleven capves watched in horror at this terrible scene. Stephen escaped and eventually joined a milia group that was involved in the Bale of Birch Coulee. He was killed on September 2, 1862 and may sll be buried on the balefield. His wife and daughters are memorialized on what is known as the Henderson Monument located four miles north of Morton, MN. Here is the inscripon: “Erected by Renville County Pioneers August 18, 1907. In memory of Mrs. S. R. Henderson and her two lile daughters, Jehiel Wedge and Eugene White who were killed by the Indians in the massacre of August 18, 1862.” 29 William and Wilhelmina Zitzlaff Ienenfeldt (Includes Meyer, Zitzlaff and Sieg Families) nd Submied by Stan and Carol Shubert, 2 Great-Grandson John Meyer journeyed half way across America to establish a new home in Minnesota Territory. The exact locaon, be it in the city, on the prairie, near the woods, or in the valley depended upon a son, an uncle, a brother, cousin, or a neighbor who had gone before him. When John Meyer stepped off the boat in the harbor of New York on May 29, 1853, he felt like a stranger; but when he disembarked from the Minnesota River Steamer at New Ulm, Minnesota and heard his friend say "Velkommen," he felt like an American. On August 20, 1857 he truly became one. On that day he walked into the courthouse at New Ulm to read and signed the paper of intenon to become a cizen of the United States of America and renounce allegiance and fidelity to the King of Wuremberg.

Shortly aer that John knocked on the door of the Zitzlaff home. This had not been the first me he had done so. Ever since John Zitzlaff, a middle-aged widower from Nackel Province, Posen Preuszen, Germany had come in on the Minnesota River Steamer bringing with him three beauful young daughters, every eligible bachelor in New Ulm knew about this family; but John knew that there were just two unaached young ladies, the sparkling 15 year old Wilhelmina and the aracve brunee Caroline with whom he had fallen in love. The third daughter, Anna, had been married to Johann Sieg in Germany, and they together with their three daughters were making their home for the me being with her father. A son, Michael, had been detained in the Old Country, because he fell within the age group of the standing army. Plans were made for John and Caroline to wed as soon as Michael arrived in Minnesota. On September 18, Michael arrived and Caroline became a bride the next day. The future was bright for the new immigrants; children were born, Wilhelmina met and fell in love with William Ienenfeldt, as did Michael with Mary Juni. Every day was excing and then suddenly the great news flashed from person to person that the Sioux Indians had just sold the northern half of their reservaon to the United States Government, meaning that a ten-mile strip of land on the other side of the Minnesota River would be open for selement. Men started to cross the river; the lucky ones took the first "claims" they saw, land near Fort Ridgely. The Benedict Juni family le New Ulm in me to claim land near Beaver Creek in Renville County. Of course, the Zitzlaffs wanted to establish claims too, but because of the many personalies involved, a departure date needed to be agreed upon. Naturally, Michael wished to follow the Juni family; Wilhelmina engaged to William Ienenfeldt, could not invite him along with her folks since her father insisted that age 15 was too young for her to marry; she did not want to leave without him. A family conference including William was held producing a soluon: the two Zitzlaffs, Sieg, and Meyer agreed to stake claims on 4 quarter secons of land and to do their best to save one adjoining one for Ienenfeldt. The family caravan arrived in Renville County only to discover that all the land had been seled along the creeks flowing into the Minnesota River as far as Beaver Creek. They immediately drove on toward the northwest; aer traveling three miles they found plenty of land sll available. There at their feet lay five empty quarter secons of land, all choice locaons and adjacent to one another. Right then and there they decided to build their homes; their barnyards on the bluffs of the Minnesota River amidst the hills of virgin mber with a view of the beauful valley below and the virgin prairie for their fields behind them. For five happy years the families thrived; Michael and Mary were married as were William and Wilhelmina who shortly became parents of Bertha born April 13, 1862.

30 August 18, 1862 was the day Wilhelmina Zitzlaff Ienenfeldt was to take her turn to do the family trading. She and her brother Michael were to collect the produce from all the families, then be on their way to the trading post located at the Lower Sioux Agency. The Indians were on the warpath before she and Michael ever crossed the river. She mounted Michael's wagon, with her baby in one arm and a basket of eggs in the other. Just a few minutes ago she had said good-by to her husband. Michael hasly stuffed his watch which showed 7 A.M. into his pocket and carefully set the basket of eggs on the floor of the wagon box . With one foot on the ground and the other on the hub of the wheel, he grasped the back of the spring seat and bounced up beside her His prey young wife standing there beamed up when she saw the look in his eye and answered in a happy scolding voice, “Michael, you know can't ride anywhere in my condion.” They proceeded to the Sieg's then on to the Meyer's and finally to the Juni's where Mr. Robertson, an Indian half-breed living near the ferry, suddenly darted out ahead of them signaling them to stop, gesturing in the direcon of the reservaon where they saw flames enveloping the enre agency. Shots rang out. Mr. Robertson tried to be calm but excitedly said that the white men's cows were being shot because the Indians were hungry. He told them to go home, that the Indians would come to their home but give them the cale and they would be le alone. Michael turned the wagon around and headed northwest. When he spied Indians in the direcon of Henderson's, they were not chasing cale. They were riding Mr. Henderson's white horse and seemed to be going somewhere in a dreadful hurry. (Mrs. Henderson and the children had just been killed.) They decided to warn all of their neighbors and relaves and have them gather as fast as possible at a central locaon, Michael's house, and flee 19 miles to Fort Ridgely.

They made their plans as they drove; me was of the essence. Wilhelmina would fetch William as Caroline, who was caring for Bertha, was not expecng her return unl later in the day. Michael would privately tell his father to unhitch the oxen and yoke them to the other wagon, then quickly load supplies on to the hayrack, talk to the three girls and cauon them to be brave and then talk to his wife, Mary, trying not to frighten her as she was close to becoming a mother. Knowing that Michael would be stopping at both the Sieg's and the Meyer's, Wilhelmina asked him to bring Bertha back to her, as she knew Caroline would have enough to do as John was not home. William agreed as they entered his yard and immediately stopped the wagon and told Wilhelmina to jump down and take the short cut through the woods; then she would arrive home sooner. In retrospect she wondered if he had seen Indians hiding. She dashed wildly down the path in the woods with feelings of uneasiness turned to alarm. Ancipang the worst, the terrible thought that William was dead rushed into her mind. Suddenly she was home; there in the turn of the road she stood dead sll reading the tragic message which was being fluered out by the hundreds and hundreds of feathers flying in the air around about the body of William lying dead on the doorstep. There she stood, transfixed, frozen in horror, studying the part of the world that had been hers; the array of flaened feather beds emped of their fluffiness. The pieces of beaufully hand-carved furniture were split and splintered, then strewn in every direcon. The cackling of chickens disturbed, running hither and yon all about the barnyard and the quickly disappearing barn being burned down as the flames leaped from the haymow on fire. As she turned to leave for the last me, she thought she could never forget the sights she had seen, yet knew she must not remember this about William. She started, then stopped to look once more. Then in the wild agony of grief, she turned and fled to her brother's house. Panng, she arrived and told her shocking story. None of her family said a word. Caroline knew what to do. She handed Bertha to Wilhelmina, who in the moment of grief would not accept her. Caroline looked shocked and simply said "SHE IS!" Because Bertha had not seen her mother since the early morning, she went into a rapturous act of happiness which calmed Wilhelmina. That feeling lasted for just a moment for just as

31 Michael signaled the oxen to move, Mr. Hauf, a neighbor, appeared calling, "Wait, my wife has just been killed!" When he broke the news, the Zitzlaff party panicked. One death report following another was more than anyone could stand. Lamentaons were voiced by almost everyone. Only one in the party, Johann Sieg, could think clearly enough to offer a soluon. The Indians seemed to be in the southeast near the Henderson's and to the southwest near Ienenfeldt's. Mr. Hauf maintained they were in a northwesterly direcon, so they chose to go north up the hill, then drive east on the Prairie Road to Fort Ridgely. Twenty rods away the Prairie Road led past a field of standing corn, corn too short for a grown man to hide in, but that's where twenty warriors and some squaws were crouching. As soon as the wagon approached the spot where they were hiding, twenty savages jumped up as one stopped the oxen. Amidst ear-spling noise, they aacked. Pandemonium broke loose as their wicked, piercing yells frightened the children. The close-knit family, never before closer, clung to each other horrified. Immediately a shot was fired. Michael crumpled to the ground, dead. The elder Zitzlaff shouted that they should dash for safety. Everyone ran in the direcon of the trees and hills. (The Indians believed it was unmanly to shoot women and children unless they were about to escape.) The enemy swept down the hillside and saw that no one escaped. The fastest runners were the first to be killed. The events of the forenoon had taken their toll on Wilhelmina. She was red aer having run so much and fell down into the grass wanng to close her eyes, which seemed hypnocally held open in hysteria. It was not only that she had to listen to the infernal racket but also had to watch the violently fierce savages, crouched, crawled, skulked, ran, and fired upon one aer another of her relaves. Although it was just minutes, it seemed like hours that she lay there, finally gathering the courage to get to her feet with her baby in her arms. She tried desperately to catch up with the others unl realizing there were no others, all had been killed but Mary who was half running, half walking toward her. Suddenly Wilhelmina realized she was about to be killed. She recognized that Indian. He was the industrious hunter who had come across the ice last March, when suddenly the valley floor flooded and he found himself stranded on the white man's side of the river and accepted the hospitality of the Ienenfeldt's. His prolonged stay at their house provided a double measure of good luck for Wilhelmina. Undoubtedly conscience stricken, that warrior behaved badly with his gun...saving her life. He leveled his gun then and with a wild fierceness pulled the trigger. The cap snapped, but the weapon didn't go off -- once, twice, three mes it did this. That was the end. He lowered his gun and said, "Wash ta" which meant "good" in their language. (The Sioux believed if a shot didn't hit the mark aer three tries the one being fired upon was protected by the "Great Spirit.” Her knowledge of the Sioux language received from him proved profitable later in capvity).

The Indian protecon of Wilhelmina and her baby immediately went into acon. She was given three body guards. One squaw grasped her le arm, another, her right arm, and a third pushing from behind. She couldn't see Mary so called out to her not to leave her. Just then a shot rang out. She was now alone with her baby. Her husband, William Ienenfeldt, was dead, her father John Zitzlaff was dead, as were her only brother Michael and his wife Mary, her sister Anna and husband Johann Sieg, and their four children, Louisa, Emmy, Amelia, and Freddy, and her other sister Caroline Meyer, her son Johnny and two daughters Sarah and Lydia were all dead. Wilhelmina wanted to die too, but her begging them to do so was ignored. They merely proceeded onward. That terrible feeling of anxiety for the nearness of danger, listening for the rustle in the bushes and the snapping of the twigs was gone. The sadness of seeing her loved ones die in anguish now possessed her and filled her with such grief that she felt weak and dizzy and thought she would swoon. The hot sun evaporated her strength. However, under the pressure of a tap on the shoulder, a squeeze

32 on the arm, and a hard push or a long pull depending upon the mood of her captors, she kept going all the while wishing she had the bonnet she had lost somewhere in her haste to escape.

Renville County selers traveled on roads which ran east and west only with the excepon of the dead- end road at the place where the Redwood Ferry carried passengers across to the reservaon side of the river. Before 1857 Sioux hunters roamed freely over a twenty mile wide area on either side of the river. In their former wanderings, they had carved paths through the woods leading to the water. Wilhelmina's captors led her down one of the Indian paths taking a by-pass only when a deserted cabin beckoned. When they stopped at the Reynolds Inn, aer crossing the river in a dug-out canoe, they found a large looking-glass hanging on the wall. They removed it but found it was too heavy to carry. Aer taking turns looking into it, they le it against a fence. A great feeling of weariness both mental and physical came over Wilhelmina as they entered the village of Chief Shakopee's village. Feeling that she could not walk into the home of those who had destroyed hers, sensing her reluctance her capves pushed her into the tepee. She was told she was to have a room in the tepee but couldn't see it. All she could see was a fire in the center which was all that was needed to explain privacy without benefit of walls or curtains. She was told to come in on the right and go out the same way, never passing around the fire as to do so would be entering someone else's space. Wilhelmina sat down feeling more dejected, sing there in one place and seeing nothing but the flickering flames. She fed Bertha and tucked the quilt in around her, too red to sing the cradle song, she closed her eyes and gave thanks to God for the tepee bed for her baby. Although she was told she would have a room, her privacy was invaded immediately upon rering. She seled fully dressed, upon a buffalo robe covering a bunk when two squaws spreading out her wide skirt laid down upon it, one on the right, the other on the le and went to sleep, yet awakened each me Wilhelmina moved. Aer many sleepless hours mourning her dead family, long aer midnight, she heard a voice soly say "Please Don't". It was Mrs. Wakefield, wife of the doctor at the Upper Agency, addressing her. She had just been brought in as a capve. The next morning she looked up at the prairie sky so sll and beauful and tried to cast off the "pioneer panic" she had been experiencing. Those were dreadfully anxious days, those 39 days of capvity, but with God's help she never panicked again.

Wilhelmina was at liberty to go to the river to fetch water each morning, but was unaware that the oldest squaw in the tepee nong the me it took running the errand, followed . She had just finished hanging the freshly washed baby clothes on a nearby bush. Not knowing the squaw was nearby unl she heard the baby cry, she saw the Indian woman carry her at arm’s length and throw her into the water. Rescuing Bertha and realizing they both could have drowned, hearing her cry and being so happy to have been able to have saved her, she too began to cry. Aer three aempts at murder failed, Bertha became popular with the boys. They might have called her a cry baby and le her to die at the hands of the Indians who would not tolerate any tears, let alone those of a baby who cried too loudly, too long, too oen. Discovering that Bertha was slowly being starved to death, three neighborhood boys, August Busse, Ludwig Kitzman, and August Gluth came to her rescue. Their general assignment as prisoners in the camp was to care for the oxen taken in plunder. Each day as they drove past the tepee they stopped, dug into their pockets for food they had saved or begged from other capves and gave it to Wilhelmina, enabling her to connue to nurse. Two younger, kinder squaws from the same tepee, seeing that Bertha acted very much alive, decided that she too must be under the protecon of the "Great Spirit.” From that day on she was under their special care. Lile Gustav Kitzman aged 3, a capve living in Wilhelmina's tepee, lived for the moments

33 when his brother Ludwig stopped by to play and give him hazelnuts. Ludwig had gone back to his tepee and Gustav's mother wasn't there to teach him to share. That aernoon when the Indian children tried to take some hazelnuts, Gustav pinched them and pulled their hair. That evening when he cried and wanted to go out to find his brother, the Indians killed him. When Ludwig came in again, he and Wilhelmina had a conference and decided that Indians killed for many reasons and that the last of the Zitzlaffs and the last of the Kitzmans must escape. At midnight, knowing that he was waing outside, she tried in vain to free her skirt held in place by her to body guards. Seeing that Wilhelmina could sew, she was kept busy with the needle working on cloth taken in plunder. The outer and inner folds of the women's skirts fascinated her and she gladly consented to wear one. The long skirt was a comfortable protecon while sing on the damp ground and was made shorter by doubling the folds under the sash before walking through the high prairie grass. The Indian women, however, vied for finer clothes, those of diverse colors, decorated with silk ribbons, glass beads and bands of embroidery. Her captor, discovering a heavily and tastefully decorated blanket in possession of her neighbor, despite the fact she knew it had been stolen from the warehouse, offered her $50.00 for it. She didn't have money but she had been expecng some ever since the first of July. The stagecoach coming from St. Paul turned off the Henderson Road at noon on Tuesday, August 19th and entered the grounds at Fort Ridgely carrying the Indian annuity, $70,000 in gold. Washington D.C. had been twenty four hours too late! While upon occasion the Indians vied for finer apparel, the women were far too busy working to be clothes conscious. They never knew what it was like to be able to choose what to wear. Whenever orders were given to move, they put everything on their body, twined beads around their neck, dismantled their homes and readied the travois while the camp crier, on horseback, called "Oh...oh...he...yi...yi...ye...ho...ye. Together with all of the thousands of Indians, Wilhelmina trembled when she heard that voice echo up and down the rows of tepees shaking every home from its foundaon. She knew full well that the breakup of camp would again leave Wilhelmina Ienenfeldt address unknown. Suddenly at noon on Friday, September 26th, Sioux on an Indian pony, Colonel H. H. Sibley took formal possession of the Indian camp and demanded the release of all prisoners. The site upon which this took place has been preserved and is known as Camp Release, Montevideo, Minnesota. Chiefs Shakopee, Red Middle Voice, Medicine Bole, and Lile Crow were not there to see or hear that surrender. They were somewhere out on the prairie fleeing toward the seng sun. The prisoners heard the officer say that that they would be sent down to Fort Ridgely that very day with as many comforts as could possibly be furnished. Wilhelmina did not know that a "special soldier" would come to speak to her, introducing himself as Fredrick Grose, age 21 of the First Regiment of Mounted Rangers, Company L Cavalry, asking if he could accompany her. She accepted and began to weep. She hadn't wept since losing her family, but when she heard his kind voice and the thought that she had no one to go to, flashed across her mind and she connued to weep. As she leaned heavily on Fredrick's arm that aernoon, she became unsteady on her feet as he assisted her down the hillside and onto the waing wagon. At sundown, when the chill fall air of the open prairie blew over her and the baby, Frederick lied the folded blanket from the spring-seat on which they sat and laid it over them. Others riding with them in one of the six wagons were seven children ranging in age from 5 to 13, who obediently followed the rules for riding. They could kneel, sit, squat, but could not stand up while the wagon was moving.

34 That evening when the procession stopped, each of the six groups of refugees gathered around separate campfires and ate a supper of pancakes and coffee, prepared by a soldier escort. Being the only adult in the group, Wilhelmina waited unl the exuberant children had been served, then she and Frederick ate together. Sunday, September 23, 1862, the birthday anniversary she didn't celebrate, would be the one longest remembered. She had le her teens behind, was now twenty years old and a whole new world was opening up for two people. Fredrick did not menon "Happy Birthday,” but took her hand in his and said that he loved her and asked if she thought she could leave the tragedy behind her. Soberly, he added that he had known the definion of a courageous woman ever since he was 9 years old. His widowed mother had set sail from Brandenburg, Germany with two children. She reached America with only one. His lile sister had taken sick on the ship, died, and was buried at sea. Wilhelmina gasped; she knew his mother who lived in the Sacred Heart Creek selement and went to the Middle Creek Church.

The first bale of the Civil War was fought on June 10,1861. On April 13,1862, when the news of the surrender of Fort Sumter was flashed all over Washington, Honorable Alexander Ramsey, Governor of Minnesota, vising in the naon's capitol, telegraphed to St. Paul requesng an immediate call for troops. The First Minnesota Infantry answered that call to go south to fight.

It was providenal that the First Minnesota Cavalry "Company L" answered the call of its own North Star State ...... providenal for Wilhelmina Zitzlaff Ienenfeldt, as one year later she became the bride of Frederick Grose in LeSeuer, Minnesota. This union was blessed with 3 sons and 7 daughters. Bertha Ienenfeldt Bertha was the infant daughter of Wilhelmina and William Ienenfeldt who lived in the area of Smith Creek in Renville County during the outbreak. Her father was killed and she and her mother were taken hostage. Wilhelmina’s survival and her riveting story is found on the Descendant Stories section. This picture is taken on her 84th birthday, April 13, 1946, at the family farm south of Renville where she and her second husband, Charles Lawin, settled in 1899. She lived there with her son, John, and granddaughter and her family, the Shuberts, until her death on May 18, 1947. Photograph submitted by Ruth Jacobson. Benedict and Mary Juni The Juni family were Swiss immigrants who seled near Beaver Falls where the family lived peacefully unl August 18, 1862, when the Dakota began killing whites. Alarmed by neighbors, Benedict loaded clothing, bedding, and provisions in his wagon. He was not convinced of this shocking news, however, and sent his family and children off with the Hayden and Zimmerman families. At that me, Benedict, Jr. had taken their only horse to round up the oxen. A younger son remained with his father and was helping to guard the stock. The Dakota showed up at their homestead and father and both sons took off running to alarm other neighbors. Eventually young Benedict was taken hostage aer dodging Indians from the ferry up the the Faribault house. He remained in custody of the Indians unl Camp Release. He was not cruelly treated, as he wrote in a later narrave published in 1902, but witnessed many heartrending scenes during his capvity.

Mary and her children connued on with the Hayden and Zimmerman escapees when their wagons were ambushed along the road. The Dakota killed Anna Maria, the oldest Juni daughter and took the rest of the party to the Faribault house. There they were le aer being threatened of being burned 35 alive, when the Indians moved on for other prey. The frightened women and children remained in the house unl Captain Marsh and his soldiers found them, at which me they all fled to the fort. Mary died soon aer, thought to be from “nervous prostraon produced by fear and anxiety for the welfare of her family during the terrible days of the Sioux Massacre in 1862” as noted in a later Benedict Juni, Jr. biography.

Benedict, Sr. then volunteered and served as a Private in Company L of the 1st Minnesota Cavalry during the Civil War. He married Ernesne Massopust and moved to the Milford area where he lived out his life. Benedict died in Milford in 1897 at the age of 72 and is buried in the New Ulm City Cemetery. Johan and Catherine Lechler Kochendorfer In August, 1862, Johann and Catherine Kochendorfer and their five children lived on a farm in Flora Township, Renville County, Minnesota. The Dakota Indians, who lived on a nearby reservaon, were frustrated with their situaon for a variety of reasons. Consequently, on August 18, 1862, they lashed out at the whites in the area, killing hundreds. Included in their vicms were Johann, Catherine, and three- year-old Sarah Kochendorfer. Four Kochendorfer children were able to make their escape, reaching safety at Fort Ridgely. The three vicms were buried where they fell, but over the years, their graves were lost track of. They were rediscovered in 1891, and the remains were reburied in St. Paul's Oakland Cemetery. The inscripon on their gravestone reads "Kochendorfer, Johan 38 Yrs, Catherine 36 Yrs, Sarah 3 Yrs. Vicms of Redwood Falls Massacre, Aug. 1862.” Findagrave memorial submied by Curs Dahlin, photo courtesy of the Brown County Historical Society. John and Marie Kaufman Kumro Submied by Glenn Vogtman This narrave is believed to be the recollecons of William H. Kumro [Sep 1857 - 13 Sep 1934] as told to his daughter Geneva [26 Mar 1908 - ??]. William was the eldest child of John and Marie/Mary/May Kumro who were farming in the La Croix Creek [Birch Coulie] area near present-day Morton, Minnesota in August, 1862. The Kumro family was forced to flee to Fort Ridgely to escape from the Sioux Indian Uprising and returned in 1865.The Kumro family is listed as follows in the book Outbreak and Massacre by the Dakota Indians in Minnesota in 1862, by Marion P. Saerlee, edited by Don Heinrich Tolzmann, Copyright 2001: List of Refugees at Fort Ridgely: Comro, J., 37, home LaCroix Creek. Wife May 32 yrs, son W. 6, dtr L. 3, F. an infant. William would have been 78 years old in 1936 when this narrave was published in the Morton Enterprise. Mrs. Kumro [Marie/Mary/May née Coffman/Kaufman] was a sister of my gg-grandfather's, George Buery, second wife, Salomé/Sally née Coffman/Kaufman. Morton Enterprise, Morton, Renville County, Minnesota, 27 February 1936 Indians Come to Pioneer Home of John Kumro on August 17, 1862 A Brief Story of the Outbreak as Related by William Kumro to His Daughter, Geneva Sunday, August 17, 1862, a group of Indians came to the John Kumro homestead near the Minnesota River. They wanted something to eat and Mrs. Kumro gave them bread and carried water for them to drink. They lay around the yard smoking and talking and one old squaw came to the white woman and

36 said, "War, go 'way." She repeated this in an [earnest] manner but Mrs. Kumro thought the Indians were afraid of war with the Cherokee tribe and did not aach any importance to the warning. Minnesota was wild in those days, sparsely seled and overrun by Sioux Indians. Selers took up homesteads and oen they were without any neighbors for miles around. Houses were built of logs. The one on the Kumro homestead was built into the side of a hill, the back dug out into the hill, the front made of logs and a shake roof made of split slabs of trees completed the house.

John Kumro had threshed his grain with a flail; then he had to take it to New Ulm, the nearest town. Sunday he walked to a homestead near Beaver to see a man named Shepard who he heard had an ox team and wagon he might be able to borrow, All the early selers were always willing to help each other and he found the man would lend him his team and wagon although he had never seen him before. Monday he started out with two teams of oxen hitched to a wagon load of grain for New Ulm. He had only gone about a half mile when he met two men who told him to go home and get his family as the Indians were massacring everyone. He gave them the wagon and told them to drive it to Fort Ridgely and he started back home on foot.

Aer reaching home and telling the news, their first thought was of their relaves, the George Buery family. Mrs. Kumro and Mrs. Buery were sisters. Mrs. Kumro wrapped some bread in a shawl to take with her, they went to warn them.

They found them in the field geng a load of hay unaware that a terrible massacre was taking place for miles around. They hasly threw off the hay and prepared to go to Fort Ridgely which was about 18 miles away. They had not gone very far when they were halted by a band of Indians and were made to get out of the wagon. George Buery, Jr., a young boy of three, clung to the wagon and began to cry and an Indian raised his tomahawk to kill him when John Kumro grabbed the boy away. The leader of the Indians told them to go to the fort and so they started, marveling at their escape. As they hastened away they saw the Indians stop the next wagon load of people and kill them. Further on they saw the body of a trader lying where he had been scalped.

They had nothing with them to eat and already the lile children were crying for food. John Kumro said he was going back to ask the Indians for some bread in the wagon. He went back and asked the leader for some bread and was given two loaves and again allowed to go unmolested.

Kindness to the Indians had always been a rule with Mrs. Kumro and the leader of that party was one they had oen fed so he repaid them that day. Afraid to follow the beaten track to Fort Ridgely they took to the swamps hiding themselves as best they could. The mosquitoes were terrible and the lile children had to be carried except one, a boy of four, who walked all the way to the fort barefooted. It was a weary, bedraggled group that at last reached the fort.

There was scant protecon at the fort; it is well that the Indians did not know the weakness of Fort Ridgely. Nearly all the soldiers there but ten or eleven had gone out with Capt. Marsh to quell the outbreak. Everyone knows how that expedion ended, but one man escaped with his life. The fort had one small howitzer (a cannon) which they kept firing. That is really what saved Fort Ridgely for the Indians were afraid of the big gun.

The women and children were sent to the upstairs room, lile more than an ac, while the men stayed below to defend the fort. Bullets were spaering against the stones of the fort all the me and William Kumro and his cousin, George Buery, slipped outside to pick up some of the bullets. Then they took them upstairs to play with, lile knowing they had come near death. The Indian wife of Louis La Croix

37 was at the fort and she became violently angry at another woman and fought with her. Then she aempted to leave the fort and go to the Indians but was stopped and brought back.

To get water they had to go to a spring some lile distance from the fort and the Indians fired on every party endeavoring to get water. John Kumro was one of a party made up to go for water and his small son seeing him leave the fort ran aer him in an effort to go too. The men did not see the boy and he followed them. When they had to run back he was locked outside the gate and he set up a loud cry. The man on guard heard him, opened the gate and dragged him in and gave him a good spanking. So once again he narrowly escaped death.

For eleven days the people were shut up in the fort with nothing but coffee and crackers to eat and very lile of that. Then they were relieved by General Sibley and his soldiers. Aer the outbreak had been quelled the pioneers who survived found a dreary prospect when they went back to their homes. Most of the houses had been burned, all the cale driven off and what lile machinery they had was stolen. Many families had been killed and the ones who had escaped were suffering bierly from a knowledge of the cruel fate that had been [dealt] their loved ones.

It took real courage to go back and start again aer anything like that and in a country that was as full of hardships as Minnesota was in the early days. The early selers knew cold like we do not experience now, blizzards that were man killers, grasshoppers, mosquitoes in swarms that nearly ate up the cale, were oen without enough to eat. Of unceasing toil and such steadfast courage our state was built on.

Maria Kumro Obituary January, 1911 GONE TO HER REWARD Maria Kumro, One of the Oldest Selers of Renville County Died at her home last Friday.

Mrs. Maria Kumro, one of the first selers in this country, passed away at her home east of Morton, Friday morning, Jan. 6th at the age of 82 yrs. 10 mo. 27 dys. The deceased was born in Alsace-Loraine, Germany Feb. 10, 1830, where she grew to womanhood, as a young woman she came to Canada and was there united in marriage with John Kumro, later they moved to Mankato, Minnesota: and aer a few years, came to Birch Coulie and took up a homestead. During the Indian Outbreak of 1862, they were obliged to flee to Fort Ridgely for safety. On the way they were overtaken by Indians and robbed of everything they had brought with them; barely escaping with their lives and being forced to pursue their journey on foot. At the fort they remained eleven days, living on crackers and coffee. From Fort Ridgely they were transported, with the other refuges to LeSeuer, from there they went to Mankato, remaining there unl the Indian scare was over. They then returned to the homestead in Birch Cooley where they have lived ever since.nMrs. Kumro leaves six children to mourn her loss: her husband and four children having gone before. Those who survive her are: W. H. Kumro, Mrs. John Kumro, Mrs. John Miller and Mrs Herman Wolter of Morton; Mrs. Oscar Miller of Franklin, Mrs. John Bradish of Willow- Bunch, Canada, and Albert Kumro of Tamarac, Minnesota. Funeral services were held at the old homestead Monday, Jan. 9th at 1:30 P. M. Interments in the Morton Cemetery, Rev. W. E. Young officiated. John Kumro, Sr. Obituary Morton Enterprise, December 15, 1895 John Kumro’s obituary is from the Renville County Historical Society: John Kumro, Sr., at his home a half mile east of town, Friday, December 18, 1895. The deceased was one of the earliest selers in the county, residing on the same farm before the outbreak. During the laer me the Indians overtook Mr. and Mrs. Kumro and took their oxen team away from them, leaving them to walk and sneak through the grass to Fort Ridgely. He has always been a hardworking man and seen all that there was to be seen in froner life. He was born January 10, 1825. The cause of his demise is said to be lung and heart trouble. The bereaved have the sympathy of the whole community. 38 McConnell Family Summary of the McConnell Family at the outbreak of the U.S.-Dakota War on August 18, 1862: Ellen McConnell: Escaped to Ft. Ridgely never to return to live in Birch Coolie David McConnell: Escaped to Ft. Ridgely never to return to live in Birch Coolie Martha McConnell Clausen: Captured along with her two small children by the Dakota Indians and released at Camp Release and never to return to live in Birch Coolie. Her husband (Frederick) and father-in-law (Charles) shot and killed by Dakota Indians. Joseph McConnell: Escaped to Ft. Ridgely never to return to live in Birch Coolie Thomas Brooks: Shot and killed by Dakota Indians Ellen Carson McConnell Ellen Carson McConnell was born in Scotland on May 30, 1791. She married James McConnell. They had six children David, Jane, Martha, James, Alexander and Joseph. Ellen, and all of her children except James, immigrated to the United States in the 1850s. James immigrated to the United States in 1889. She arrived in the United States in 1858 along with her daughter Martha McConnell. She lived with her son, David McConnell, who had first come to Minnesota around 1857 and lived in Houston County, Minnesota. David soon moved to Birch Coolie, where they both resided on the north half of Secon 33, Township 113N, Range 34 W, along Birch Coolie Creek. According to a biography of Ellen’s son, David, in the History of Houston County, on the late aernoon of August 18, 1862, Ellen was alone in the house she shared with him when two Indians broke into the house, destroyed or carried away all valuables and threatened to kill her with an axe. Her life was spared by one of the Indians to whom she had shown previous kindness. At the same me, Ellen’s grandson, Thomas Brooks, age 13, son of Jane McConnell Brooks, was shot and killed bringing dinner to his uncle David McConnell who was working in the fields. On the same day, a short distance away, her daughter Martha McConnell Clausen and her two very young children were captured by the Indians and Martha’s husband, Fred Clausen, and father-in-law, Charles, were killed. Martha and the children were later released at Camp Release in September, 1862. The very next night aer the aack, Ellen and David walked 12 miles to Fort Ridgely. She was 70 years old. When Ellen and David arrived at Fort Ridgely, they were reunited with her son, Joseph McConnell, who was working as a plasterer for the Lower Sioux Agency when it was aacked on the morning of August 18. Joseph escaped to Fort Ridgely the evening of the outbreak. For several days aer they arrived at Fort Ridgely, it was aacked and under siege by more than 400 Indians. It was defended by only a small military force with 200 frightened selers who had escaped huddled in a cluster of buildings. The selers joined with the soldiers to defend the Fort and they ulmately prevailed when the Indians le to pursue other targets. There are various accounts of what happened to Ellen on August 18. See the profile of Martha McConnell Clausen McGowan that discusses a leer dated many years later from Martha’s daughter discussing Ellen’s experience. Ellen never returned to her home in Birch Coolie. She filed a Depredaon Claim (Claim #2559) with the United States government on June 6, 1863 and was paid $112.00 for the possessions she lost when forced from her home in Birch Coolie. Among her possessions listed were many books including those of Scosh history, Byron’s poems, a family bible and numerous yard goods. She and David moved back to Yucatan, Houston County, Minnesota in the fall of 1862 where she resided unl her death on November 30, 1868 at the age of 77 years. It was reported that her mind was “shaered” aer her experiences surrounding the Dakota War. She is buried in the Sheldon Cemetery, in Sheldon, Houston County, Minnesota along with her son, David. 39 David B. McConnell David B. McConnell was born in Twynholm, Scotland on October 12, 1817. At the age of 18 years, he went to Cambridge, England where he was employed as a clerk in a dry goods store which he later purchased and operated for 12 years. He immigrated to the United States in 1854 and lived in Dedham, Massachuses for a year. He moved to Yucatan, Houston County, Minnesota probably drawn there by another nave of Twynholm, Scotland, James Kelly, who resided in Yucatan at the me. Around 1859, he seled along Birch Coolie. He laid claim and improved 320 acres on the north half of Secon 33, Township 113 N, Range 34 W in Birch Coolie Township where he lived with his mother, Ellen. In the late aernoon of August 18, 1862, the Dakota Indians broke into his home, destroyed or carried off the contents and threatened to kill his mother, Ellen. David’s young nephew, Thomas Brooks, age 13, was shot and killed. His sister Martha McConnell Clausen was captured along with her two children while at the same me her husband, Frederick, was killed along with his father, Charles. David and his mother, Ellen, walked to Fort Ridgely the next night where they reconnected with David’s brother, Joseph, who had escaped from the Lower Sioux Agency the day before. For several days aer they arrived at Fort Ridgely, it was aacked and under siege by more than 400 Indians. It was defended by only a small military force with 200 frightened selers who had escaped huddled in a cluster of buildings. The selers joined with the soldiers to defend the Fort and they ulmately prevailed. Shortly aer, David and his brother, Joseph, began serving as Privates for three months under Captain Mark Hendricks’ Baery of Light Arllery. This Company was organized at the commencement of the Dakota War and served with General Sibley’s First Expedion and parcipated in all the engagements of that command. David never returned to live in Birch Coolie but reseled in Yucatan, Houston County, Minnesota in the fall of 1862 on a beauful piece of land in the Yucatan valley along the Root River. He married Ann Messerall of Sheldon, Minnesota and had two children, James and David. His wife, Ann, died from complicaons of childbirth a few weeks aer the birth of David Junior, who would also die young at the age of 4. The elder David died on November 18, 1887 and is buried at the Sheldon Cemetery, Houston County, Minnesota along with his mother, Ellen, and wife and son, David. Martha McConnell Clausen McGowan Martha McConnell Clausen (Clasen) McGowan was born in Scotland on April 11, 1826. She immigrated to the United States in 1858 along with her mother Ellen. She married Frederick (Fred) Clausen on April 21, 1860 in New Ulm, Minnesota and her brother, David McConnell, and father-in-law, Charles Clausen, were witnesses. Martha and Frederick were reported living in Birch Coolie with Martha’s mother, Ellen, and brother, David, in 1860. On August 18, 1862, Martha was captured by the Dakota Indians at or near her home in Birch Coolie, along with her two small children, Ellen Jane and Mary Ellen. Her husband, Frederick, and his father, Charles, were killed by the Indians and lie in unmarked graves likely close to where they were killed. Martha and her children were released at Camp Release in September, 1862.

An Indian named Tehehdonecha was prosecuted and convicted during the trials of Sioux Military Commission of 1862 (Case #2) for the murder of Fredrick and Charles and rape of Margaret Cardinal, a neighbor from Birch Coolie. He was hanged in Mankato, Minnesota on December 26, 1862 along with 37 other Dakota Indians. Tehehdonecha, Margaret Cardinal and Mrs. Harriet Valiant tesfied at the trial. Mrs. Valiant tesfied that they were at the Clausen’s house and several Indians came along and two men and a woman and

40 child ran into the woods. Mrs. Valiant tesfied that three Indians ran off aer them and came back and said they had killed two. Tehehdonecha tesfied that he and nine others approached a wagon load of white people east of Beaver Creek and that he stayed by the wagon and prevented the other Indians from killing the women and children. He reported the white men ran off and the other Indians went aer them. Ms. Cardinal reported that five Indians approached the wagon and three white men, a woman and a lile child ran into the woods but that Tehehdonecha stayed by the wagon with another Indian. The men referred to in this account could have included the elderly Charles Clausen. Ellen Clausen Door, one of Martha’s daughters captured along with her, corresponded with Marion Saerlee (Marion P. and William W. Saerlee Papers, Box 1) during his research on the vicms of the U.S.-Dakota War. In that correspondence she reported on stories from her mother telling of her me during capvity. The following are excerpts from the correspondence from two leers to Mr. Saerlee: “Mother had a few nice dresses and pieces of cloth in her trunk which she had brought over from Scotland. The Indians opened this trunk and tore the dresses and pieces of cloth into small pieces to tantalize her. Later on, a friendly Indian who could talk English told her that she would have to wear a blanket and a kind of sack, which they wore instead of her dress, as the Indians intended killing her if she did not do so herself in another day. So she got a squaw to show her how to make it. One night when it was raining hard she felt someone pulling at a buffalo robe that she had brought along with her, and upon waking up she saw two squaws pulling the robe from under her. (She used the robe for a maress.) So she let them have it and held her three week’s old baby in her arms the rest of the night to keep it out of the water.” February 14, 1914 leer to Mr. Saerlee from Mrs. N.A. Door. “In reply to your leer of the 13th, my father Frederick Clausen and his father were killed the me of the Sioux Indian Massacre, also Thomas Brook, a boy of fourteen, and the enre Hire (Heur?) family. Mrs. Hire being father’s aunt. All of these people lived on adjoining claims along the mber known as Birch Cooley. The men were making hay in the valley, near where Morton now stands. The indians hitched up our team and put mother, my lile sister, a baby of five weeks and myself into the wagon. Father came hurrying up from the field to get grandmother McConnell out of the house but she had escaped and was hiding a short distant from the house. Father had mooned for us to start on hoping to find her and catch us. Just before we went around a turn in the road we saw an indian shoot him. Mother said that she saw the indians holding consultaon many mes and believed that they would have shot her if it wasn’t for friendly indians whom she had fed on many previous occasions. Mother and her two babies were indian capves for six weeks.” January 21, 1914 leer to Mr. Saerlee from Mrs. N.A. Door. These two accounts discussing Martha’s capture show some inconsistencies with other historical references such as the tesmony during the trial of Tehehdonecha. There is also an account discussing her mother’s experience that needs to be reconciled with these two accounts. Reconciling these various accounts to be as consistent as possible suggests that a number of Birch Coolie neighbors had gathered at the Clausen/McConnell home to do haying. Haying was happening all over the valley at the me. When the Indians arrived in the late aernoon, most of the men were out haying in the fields and the women were gathered near the house. The Indians entered the house and found Ellen McConnell whose life was threatened by one Indian but spared by another when he interceded because she had shown him previous kindness. Ellen escaped from the house and hid outside. The Indians plundered the house opening trunks and taking valuables. The Indians hitched up a team of horses at the farm to a wagon and put the plunder and the women and children in the wagon. A couple of men, possibly including the older Charles Clausen, and a woman and child ran into the woods near

41 the Coolie. They were followed by a number of Indians who when they returned said they had killed two. Fred Clausen heard the shoong and came running up from the field and saw what was happening. He mooned for Martha to start, hoping to catch up. He ran into the house looking for Ellen, Martha’s mother, but she had already escaped and was hiding a short distance away. As the wagon holding the women and children traveled down the road, they looked back and saw an Indian shoot Fred. Aer the War in 1865, Martha Clausen made a claim on Secon 28, Township 113 N, Range 34 W. This claim abuts Secon 33 to the north, the secon where her mother, Ellen, and brother, David, had lived. Martha also made a claim for aid under the Widows & Children Act in Nicollet County and was awarded $65. Martha married Duncan McGowan in 1865 and he later claimed the property in Secon 28 in Birch Coolie. Martha and Duncan seled on a farm in South half of Secon 25 in Nicollet Township, Nicollet County. She had a daughter with Duncan named Margaret Isabella. Her daughter, Mary Clausen, died in1880 of typhoid. Her daughter, Ellen Clausen, married Norman A. Door of Nicollet County, Minnesota. Martha died on January 7, 1914 in Nicollet County. Martha, Duncan McGowan and her daughters, Mary and Ellen, are all buried in Hebron Cemetery, Nicollet County, Minnesota. Margaret Isabella married James Hendley who died and then married Herman Heiser. She is also buried in Hebron Cemetery. Joseph McConnell Joseph McConnell was born around 1837 in Scotland. He immigrated to the United States in the 1850s and lived in Dedham, Massachuses. He married Elizabeth Oakhem in Dedham on April 7, 1862. Shortly aer his marriage in April, he came to Birch Coolie, Minnesota where his mother, Ellen, brother David, and sister, Martha McConnell Clausen lived. David had been improving a claim for him on his land in Secon 33 and Joseph’s plan was to return for his wife in Massachuses when he became seled. He started work for Agent Galbraith at the Lower Sioux Agency (Agency) as a plasterer in May, 1862 and resided at a boarding house run by Shepherd Dickinson at the Agency during the week. He stored his trunk with his personal belongings including clothing and tools at David’s house about two miles from the Agency. On Sundays, he would return there for a change of clothes. On August 18, 1862, he was at the Agency when it was aacked by the Dakota Indians. He fled that evening around 7 pm to Fort Ridgley with Mr. Nairn, the head carpenter at the Agency, and his family. He was at Fort Ridgely when his mother, Ellen, and brother, David, arrived the next day. He and his brother, David, served as Privates for three months under Captain Mark Hendricks’ Baery of Light Arllery. This Company was organized at the commencement of the Dakota War and served with General Sibley’s First Expedion and parcipated in all the engagements of that command. He reported that while serving in General Sibley’s expedion that fall, on their way back from Camp Release, he stopped at his brother David’s home in Birch Coolie and found it open and plundered of all valuables. He also reported that he saw the carpenter’s shop at the Agency had been burned where he had le a number of tools. He made a Depredaon Claim (Claim #200) in 1863 for belongings he lost in the Dakota War and was awarded $200.00. In it he provided a detailed list of clothing, a watch, plastering tools and brushes that he had lost during the War. Aer the War, Joseph is listed as making a claim on Secon 33, Township 113 N, Range 34 W, the same secon where his brother and mother had lived. He was reported living in Ramsey County, Minnesota at the me of his Depredaon Claim in 1863 and it appears he never came back to live in Birch Coolie to live. He along with his wife, Elizabeth and four children were also reported living in Ramsey County, Ward 1, in 1870 and 1880. His occupaon is listed as plasterer. His brother, Alexander, is reported living with him in 1870. Joseph died on March 6, 1872 at the age of 33. His death cerficate lists cause of death as heart disease. He is buried in an unmarked grave at Oakland Cemetery, St. Paul, MN. His

42 family appears to have le Minnesota aer his death possibly to return to Boston where his wife, Elizabeth, came from. According to census records, his son Theodore appears to have lived in the Marcella Street Home in Boston in 1880 at the age of 10. The Marcella Street Home was a residence for orphaned and pauper boys. Thomas Brooks Thomas Brooks was born in England in 1850. He was the son of Jane McConnell Brooks (daughter of Ellen Carson McConnell) and Mark Brooks. He immigrated to the United States along with his parents and lived in Dedham, Massachuses before moving to Minnesota with his parents. On August 18, 1862 he was reportedly shot and killed by the Indians around the age 13 in Birch Coolie, Minnesota. Reports say he was bringing dinner to his uncle David when killed. David McConnell’s witness statement for Joseph McConnell’s Depredaon Claim states that on the evening of August 18 his family was forced from their home in Birch Coolie and his nephew, Thomas Brooks, was shot. Some accounts list Mark Brooks as being killed but these reports are in error. Mark was the father of Thomas and records show he survived. Thomas Brooks lies in an unmarked grave likely close to where he was killed in Birch Coolie. Aer the War, Thomas’ parents moved to Houston County and lived with his grandmother, Ellen Carson McConnell, and uncle, David McConnell, in Yucatan. Thomas’ parents later moved to Nicollet County where his father, Mark, and brother, James, are listed as owning adjacent farms in Nicollet County in 1901. These farms are adjacent to the farm his aunt, Martha, and Duncan McGowan lived on for many years. His mother, Jane McConnell Brooks, died in Nicollet County on February 19, 1903. Alexander McConnell Alexander McConnell was born on August 4, 1832 in Dumfrieshire, Scotland. He immigrated to the United States in 1858 and lived in Dedham, Massachuses where he married Mary Archer in July 7, 1860. In 1870, he is listed as living in Birch Coolie in Secon 33, Township 113 N, Range 34 W, the same land first claimed and improved by his brother David and Joseph. He lived there unl his death in 1903. Alexander was also listed as working as a plasterer in 1870 when living with his brother, Joseph, in Ramsey County and is listed as a mason in his obituary. Oral family histories suggest he frequently worked as a mason in St. Paul during the winter months on some large homes along Summit Avenue. Alexander had five children: Eleanor, George, David, Eva and Laura. He died on February 19, 1903 and the original 320-acre McConnell farmstead in Birch Coolie in Secon 33 was held in the McConnell family by his descendants unl at least the 1950s. Duane McConnell and his siblings, Alexander’s grandchildren, told of playing in Birch Coolie Creek adjacent to the house when a child and finding Indian arfacts. Alexander is buried along with his wife Mary Archer and children Laura, Evelyn (Eva) and Eleanor high on the hill in the Morton City Cemetery in a family plot overlooking the Minnesota River Valley. *Source materials for this account include citaons to over 40 historical documents including obituaries, US and English census data; plat maps; histories of Renville and Houston Counes, Minnesota; witness statements supporng U.S. Government Depredaon Claims; witness statements from the Sioux Military Commission Trials of 1862; cemetery records; personal correspondence with Marion Saerlee; and numerous history books regarding the Dakota War.

43 Eusebi and Elizabeth Perreault Picard

Elizabeth was the daughter of Pierre and Elizabeth Perreault. Her first husband, Eusebi Picard, was killed during the Indian aack as was her father, Pierre. Her mother and siblings, Genevieve, Melina, Joseph, George, and Philomene, escaped to Fort Ridgely. Elizabeth and her children, Eusebi, age 4, and Elizabeth, age 2, were captured by Lile Crow. Elizabeth had fallen from her horse and her captors, thinking her dead, le her and Eusebi, Jr. behind. Young Elizabeth was one of the prisoners surrendered at Camp Release on September 26, 1862. Someme later. Elizabeth married Joseph Reneau.

Pierre and Marie Elizabeth Tellier-LaFortune Perreault Submied by Colleen Hanson-Harvey, 4th Great-Granddaughter

Pierre Perreault was born May 13, 1818 at Lavaltrie, Berthier Co., Quebec, Canada. On November 25, 1839 he married Louisa/Elise Marguerite Tellier-LaFortune in L’Assompon, L’Assompon Co., Quebec, Canada. She was born in L’Assompon on September 9, 1815. In the 1857 census, Pierre was listed as Peter, a mason and his wife listed as Lisee, township 111, range 26 in Nicollet County, north of St. Peter. Aer the 1858 Treaty of Traverse des Sioux, they moved to property they bought from Francois LaBathe across the river from the Lower Sioux Agency. The 1860 census had them listed as Peter and Eliza Paro in Beaver River, post office of Lower Sioux Agency. Pierre was then farming. Their neighbors were their two oldest daughters Elisabeth, married to Eusebi Picard and Marguerita, married to Clement Cardinal. (Marguerita and Clement’s story is posted separately.) Pierre built a cabin for his wife and younger children 1/2 mile down the Birch Coulie Creek, on what had been known as La Croix Creek.

The morning of August 18, 1862 was a bright sunny day aer several days of rain. Pierre had just brought in a load of hay. The naves advanced on the homestead wearing war paint. According to daughter Genevieve, they first entered the home and took her mother’s rings. They took food, clothing and anything else of value before seng it on fire. Her father was laying at the base of a hay stack with a pitch fork in him. The naves had killed the oxen and set the hay on fire. It is not known what happened to Pierre’s body. It is presumed he is sll on the homestead, perhaps buried by the soldiers sent in later. A story handed down in one family was that his body was dragged into the burning home. His wife and younger children Genevieve, 11, Melina, 10, Joseph, 8, George, 6 and Philomene, 3, made their way along the river to Fort Ridgely, some 16 miles away. Daughter Elisabeth Picard’s husband, Eusebi, was also run through with a pitch fork, Elizabeth’s rings taken and their home ransacked and torched. Elisabeth, her children Elisabeth (Elisa), 2 and Eusebi, Jr., 4 were captured by Lile Crow. Elisabeth had fallen from her horse and her captors, thinking her dead, le her and Eusebi Jr. behind. They le with 2 year-old Elisabeth. A neighbor Carl Wi who had just buried his own wife stopped to bury Eusebi, Sr. The Wi family which included Carl’s wounded son were on their way to Fort Ridgely. Elisabeth and son also made it to the safety of the fort where she, her mother and brother-in-law Clement Cardinal have their names on the monument for their assistance in the defense of the fort. Clement’s wife Marguerita and son Clement Jr., 4 months old, had been captured and taken 50 miles away near present day Montevideo along with niece Elisabeth Picard. They were held for 6 weeks, nearly starved to death at the encampment now known as Camp Release. According to Genevieve’s daughter, Adele, the women used melted lye soap to throw at the naves for defense. Pierre’s wife,

44 Lisee, also known to some as Marie Elisabeth, never remarried. She passed away October 14, 1872 in Centerville, MN from tuberculosis. Daughter Elisabeth Picard remarried April 6, 1863 to Joseph Renaud (Reneau) and had 11 more children. This story was pieced together using informaon submied to the Brown County (Minnesota) Historical Society by Nancy Altman-Zuber, descendant of Genevieve Perreault-Luce and Tillie Reneau-Lakin, descendant of Elizabeth Perreault-Picard-Reneau. Addional informaon from Mary Girard-Richard and Colleen Hanson-Harvey, descendants of Genevieve Perreault-Luce.

Mary Philomene Perreault

Philomene was the daughter of Pierre and Elizabeth Perreault and was among those who escaped to Fort Ridgely with her mother and siblings aer her father was killed. She married Edward Bell and they raised a large family in Sllwater.

Genevieve Perreault Submied by Chris Kno from a Family History Arcle

Genevieve Perreault was born near Montreal, Canada on June 16, 1847 and came into Minnesota with her family in the late 1850’s. Her father was a fur trader along the Minnesota River, and they were living in the present Morton, Minnesota at the me of the Sioux Uprising in 1862. Genevieve was about twelve years old when the Picard and Perreault homesteads at Birch Coulie were aacked during the Sioux uprising of 1862. Genevieve’s father, Pierre, and brother-in-law, Eusebi Picard were killed. Her sister, Marguerite Cardinal, nephew Clement Cardinal, Jr. and niece Elizabeth Picard were captured and held at Camp Release.Her father was killed there by the Indians on August 18th of that year, following which the rest of the family seled in Centerville.

Genevieve married Theolon Luce on April 19, 1865, and moved into the Luce home on an 80 acre farm near Shakopee in Sco County, Minnesota. Here they raised thirteen children, among those Adolph and his wife Elizabeth and their children, Ed, John, Ione, Clara and Mildred. Theolon’s grandparents had purchased the 80 acre farm in 1855. Theolon and Genevieve came into ownership in 1879. Twenty years later Adolph and Elizabeth Luce took the land over when they were married, and in 1885 Adolph’s son Ed owned the farm. Photo submied by Jenna Taverna.

George Fredrich and Johanna Hahn Rose Submitted by Morris Gildemeister, Great-Grandson

The following is taken from a detailed account of the Bale of Birch Coulie wrien by several parcipants in the bale. The account appeared in the Morton Enterprise of October 22, 1931, aer having first appeared in the Southern Minnesota, a quarterly magazine dedicated to preserving the 45 history of Southern Minnesota. The poron excerpted below is taken from an interview with George Frederick Rose, by the editor of the Morton Enterprise during the 1920s: The late George Frederick Rose of Gaylord, who was a young teamster with the expedion, was shot in the le leg shortly aer the firing began. He was placed in a tent with other wounded. In an interview with the writer a few 45 years before his death, Rose said: "There were two other fellows in the tent with me. One of them, named Cobb, was from St. Paul, and the other, whose name was King, was from the southern part of the state. Cobb had been shot in the stomach and King in the chest. Everybody was too busy, of course, to pay any aenon to us. We expected every minute that the Indians would take the camp and come in and murder us. Cobb was able to hobble about and peeked out, but couldn't find out much. King's brother came in twice with a lile water for King, but did not stop to talk." "The noise was terrific; the screams of dying men and horses and the yells of the Indians rose above the rale of rifle fire. It was very hot. As the day wore on, we kept track of the me as well as we could by watching the sun through an opening in the tent. I remember the officers calling to the men to save their ammunion, thinking the end was near. I must have fallen to sleep from exhauson, for the next thing I remembered was being awakened by a man who came into the tent to tell me that the fighng was over. Cobb and King both were dead. Another bullet had hit King while he was lying in the tent, but it was the first bullet that caused his death." ARTICLE FROM THE HUTCHINSON LEADER OF FRIDAY, JULY 25, 1930 GAYLORD PIONEER WOMAN TELLS OF GOING TO SCHOOL IN HUTCHINSON STOCKADE "Mrs. Johanna Rose was pupil of "man named Piman" during aack on Hutchinson on September 4, 1862 - was 11 years old at me." Minnesota children have aended school in unusual circumstances as many instances since pioneer days reveal, but it is probable that Mrs. Johanna Rose of Gaylord holds the record in the state for school aendance under difficult and decidedly unusual condions. Mrs. Rose was one of the refugees in the stockade at Hutchinson during the Sioux outbreak in 1862 and went to school within the stockade while bullets from the Indians plopped against the barricades and the din of bale, punctuated by the war-whoops of the braves, at mes drowned the voice of the schoolmaster. Mrs. Rose was Johanna Hahn then. She was 11 years old in 1862. Her father, John Hahn, was one of the six German immigrants who came to Minnesota with their families from Wisconsin in the early summer of 1862. One of these was the ill-fated Carl Spaude family, all the members of which excepng one child, were murdered by the Indians on the day Hutchinson was aacked. The others were the William Bielke, Ferdinand Spaude, Retz and Lemke families. All lived near the Crow River about six miles west of Hutchinson. As was revealed in a previous arcle, the Bielkes were close to death in their flight to the stockade as the Sioux moved on the town. Further details concerning the acvies of the others and the causes of the plight of the Carl Spaudes and the Bielkes are furnished by Mrs. Rose. "We lived near the Carl Spaude place," she recounted. "All our homes were small log cabins. We had not seen any Indians in the neighborhood and the first we knew of the trouble was when soldiers returning from an expedion to a point near Litchfield, on which they lost heavily by running into Indian ambushes, warned us to flee to the stockade. All the families but the Carl Spaudes and the Bielkes went at once. We went with oxen and reached the town without mishap. But Mr. Spaude, who was my uncle, and Mr. Bielke had laughed and told father that they could drive off any Indians that came around. The two families lived together in the Bielke cabin and remained there, busy with their farm work unl that fateful day when they were forced to flee for their lives and the Spaudes were doomed to die. "As I remember the stockade," Mrs. Rose said, "it covered nearly an enre block. The outside walls were of boards, hewn or sawed, and placed upright. About two and a half feet inside of the first wall there was another and the space between was filled with earth to stop bullets. I recall that there were loopholes to permit those inside to shoot through the walls. Inside there was a school house and a residence, both of which apparently were there when the stockade was built. There was no roof over

46 the stockade itself, but separate shelters were provided for the different families, with roofs that seemed to have been taken from other buildings. "There were people of all ages in the fort and there was, of course, much excitement. I don't recall that there was any great confusion, however. Those in charge seem to have been able to keep the refugees prey well in order. We cooked our meals in the fort and managed to get enough to eat most of the me, each family having brought some provisions and the rest being supplied by scouts and others who ventured out to stores and the fields. "I guess they sent us to school more to keep us quiet and out of mischief than for any other reason," Mrs. Rose chuckled. "I couldn't talk English very well and neither could my brothers and sisters. My brothers were Charles and William, now dead. My sisters are now Mrs. Frank Abrahams of Gaylord and Mrs. Henry Sylwester, who resides near that village. The teacher was a man named Piman and he made us study and behave ourselves just as if everything was peaceful and we were in our own country school. Of course, when the fighng was at its height and it was feared that the Sioux might capture the stockade, school was dismissed and we were required to lie flat on the ground and keep quiet. “I was old enough to realize to some extent the seriousness of the situaon," the pioneer woman added, "but I guess American ways were so new to me that I thought all the trouble was simply a part of the business of establishing a home in the new froner country. Anyway, I don't recall that children worried much about the situaon. There were quite a few of us and we even found opportunity to play a great deal. Once, during a lull in the firing that followed an aack, I found the door in the stockade open and walked out. I was promptly sent back in, and didn't see much of what was going on outside." Mrs. Rose said that there were no soldiers in the fort aer the aack, but she is mistaken in this, as there were some of Captain Whitcomb's and Captain Strout's men in the stockade on the day of the bale - September 4. She also told of an incident not familiar to the writer. "One woman," she said, "was stopped by an Indian while she was coming to this fort with her baby, about a year and a half old. She lived just outside of the town and her husband was already in the fort. She had determined to stay at home longer, evidently thinking the Indians wouldn't aack. Well, the Indians asked her how many soldiers were in the fort and she told him about 2,000. This brave informed the Sioux leaders and they did not aack in force then, although they could have captured us all if they had done so. But they killed the woman's baby and took her capve. She was released when the outbreak ended and returned to Hutchinson. I heard several say aerward that she really saved the fort and its occupants. The Hahns remained in Hutchinson the rest of the fall and the following winter. Mr.Hahn, Mr. Bielke and Fred Spaude erected a cabin which the three families occupied. The Retz and Lemke families built and occupied another cabin. In the spring all but the Lemkes moved to the secon between New Auburn and Gaylord where they took claims and once more began a pioneer existence. The Lemkes returned to Wisconsin. "Mr. Lemke said there were too many Indians here to suit him," Mrs. Rose explained. Mrs. Rose, by the way, had lived in Hutchinson for a me before the outbreak, having been employed in the home of Carl Taevs (she is not sure of the spelling), taking care of the three small boys in the family. She married George Fredrick Rose in 1869. He was a veteran of the Bale of Birch Coulie and carried a bullet from that bale in his le leg unl his death two years ago. Mrs. Rose has three children, Mrs. Herman Gildemeister, near Gaylord: Mrs. Charles Spaude, Gaylord, and Mrs. Charles Mawig, near Gaylord.

47 "It all happened a long me ago," said the pioneer woman, who will be 79 years old December 17 next, "but the outbreak and our four weeks in the fort are sll vivid in my memory. I cannot forget that summer." Mary Schwandt Mary, the 14-year old daughter of Johan and Chrisna Schwandt, was working at the Joseph Reynolds home on the west side of the Redwood River, south of the Minnesota River on August 18, 1862, the day of the uprising. Six of her family members died that day at the family homestead at Middle Creek Township in Renville County, and their young son, August, age 11, crawled away, ran to the nearby brush and escaped to Fort Ridgely. Mary’s parents were Prussian immigrants and had just come to “ the beauful valley of the Minnesota River to above the mouth of Beaver creek and above where the town of Beaver Falls now stands”, in May, 1862, according to her memoir. She was taken capve while trying to escape with the Reynolds family and released at Camp Release six weeks later. In her memoir, she tells about an Indian woman named Snana, also known as Maggie Brass who saved her life. Snana hid her by digging a hole in her tepee, and put Mary in it, covering the hole with scks and a blanket.

Aer her release, she was sent to St. Peter and then to family friends in Wisconsin where she was reunited with her brother, August. A year later, Mary tesfied at the claims for depredaons hearings for the property of her parents that had been taken by the Dakota. In 1866, Mary married William Schmidt of St. Paul. It was there in 1894 that she wrote her story; it appeared in the Minnesota Historical Society Collecons that same year.

The Minnesota Historical Society has a file of her leers wrien to Marion Saerlee, noted Minnesota historian, between 1917-1927. These leers told how she yearned to have a monument erected to honor “those first Pioneers that are sleeping in unmarked graves for half a century. At least they were all good and God-fearing people and well deserve a monument.” The Schwandt Monument, built by the State of Minnesota in 1915, had already been dedicated when she wrote Saerlee, but she probably was a driving force to get that done. It is located on Renville County Road 15, south of Sacred Heart. Here is the inscripon:"Erected by the State of Minnesota 1915 In Memory of Martyrs for Civilizaon, Johann Schwandt, Chrisna Schwandt and Their Children Fredrik and Chrisan, John Walz, Karolina Schwandt Walz & John Frass. Murdered by Sioux Indians August 18, 1862." (Coincidentally, the Schwandt family farm was purchased in 1870 by the Carl Tolzmann family, great-grandfather of Don Heinrich Tolzmann, who was the editor of German Pioneer Accounts of the Great Sioux Uprising of 1862. This book contains both Mary’s story and that of Wilhelmina Busse Carrigan.) She never lived to see her dream of an all-inclusive seler monument. Her other wish was to have her Dakota friend, Snana who saved her life, honored by adding her name to the Friendly Indian monument in Morton. That did come to pass in 1908. See Schwandt Memorial Monument photo on page. 67. Johann Jacob and Wilhelmine Pauline Doege Urban Submied by Marba Sanders Pogue, Great-Great Granddaughter Since the Johann Jacob Urban family was intertwined in Minnesota and U.S. history in 1862 I thought more detailed informaon on the events and the Urban’s place in them would be of interest. Most of this informaon is well known, at least in bits and pieces, to many of the Urban clan but felt including it and the sources even in this bare outline of our family history would be worth the effort.

It may be noted that two of the other families involved in the capture of the Sacred Heart community may have been Pauline’s (Wihelmine Pauline Doege Urban) sisters. Minnie Buce Carrigan in her book refers to two of Pauline’s sisters, who were Jusne (Mrs. August) Frass and Amelia ( Mrs. August) Lange, 48 who were all held capve and freed at Camp Release. A distant cousin also was under the impression that Johann and family had arrived at Sacred Heart not long before the uprising. Since Johann had not had the opportunity to yet build a home, he, Pauline and family were sll living with one of Pauline’s sisters. No siblings of Pauline have been found that I am aware of so these two dbits of informaon about the Doege family are intriguing. Excerpt from Wilhelmine Pauline Urban’s obituary, 1925: In 1862 they moved to Minnesota and seled down near New Ulm across the Minnesota River. Not very long aer the Indian Massacre broke out and many selers were unmercifully slaughtered. Mrs. Urban with her children, her husband not being at home, tried to escape, but was captured by the Indians and had a narrow escape from death. They were kept capve for a long me. Aer peace was declared, the family was reunited in St. Paul. Incidents of Indian Days published in 1912 in the Mankato Daily Review newspaper: Albert Urban, one of the prominent farmers of Pleasant Mound Township while in the city Wednesday with elecon returns from that part of the County, incidentally and in a laughing manner made the remark to the Daily Review man that he was branded as a pioneer of this state. The reporter becoming interested, asked Mr. Urban what he meant by that. In answer to the queson Mr. Urban shoved back his hat from his forehead and displayed a livid scar over the le eye. “This” said Mr. Urban “is a keepsake I carry from the Indian outbreak of 1862, when our home near Fort Ridgely was aacked by Lile Crow, while father was at work in New Ulm in a wagon shop. My mother and three sisters and myself were captured, but my oldest brother managed to get away. My mother had to carry one three-year-old girl on her back and my 11-month-old sister in her arms as the Indians forced us along when they went farther west. “The three-year-old girl I speak of is Mr. Gus Blum [Rose Urban Blumberg] of St. Peter and the eleven- months-old child is now grown to womanhood and is the wife of Goried Neumann [Louise Urban Neumann] of Lake Crystal and mother of Al Neumann, marshall of that village. The other sister is Mrs. Charles Miller [Ernesne Urban Mueller Burke] of Montana. “My mother was not ill treated, strange as tho it may sound, and now when I look back thru the years I can realize this was owing to the fact that we were driven from place to place in custody of the Indians for over six weeks as they ran to dodge the soldiers, we did not fare as badly as we might have, when one takes into consideraon, that we were captured by savages. “Oh, the story of the scar on my forehead, did you say? Well, at that me I was a boy but six years of age but though I am now a man going on 56 years, I can shut my eyes and see the whole terrible ordeal as plainly as if it were yesterday. Aer being in capvity for several days I was stripped as naked as the day I was born and ran naked with the Indian children and other white children in capvity. “Whether the Indians were tesng my nerve with the view of adopng me in their tribe or not I am unable to tell, but they took it into their heads that is, the best bow and arrow shots in the tribe, to place pieces of bark on my head and shoot the same off. Being then but a mere child, I was terribly frightened and several mes one day my knees nearly wilted under me, and I would have fallen had not some of the Indians prodded me with their knives to make me understand that I had to stand up straight and sll. “It may be that I srred, and now I don’t wonder that I did, or it may be the archer aiming his arrow at the piece of bark on the top of my head shot low. However this may be it was then that I received the ‘stamp of Minnesota’ which I will bear to my grave. The point of the arrow struck me on the forehead and knocked me out, and I stayed that way for three days, but you see,” said Mr. Urban with a smile, “I came out of it all right or I would not be telling you how I came to be bearing this mark.”

49 In closing his narrave Mr. Urban said, “My mother is sll living and makes her home with my brother Fred who lives near Lewisville. I wish you could meet her, for she remembers many interesng incidents of those trying mes.” Albert Urban Obituary Excerpt from Mankato Free Press, 28 January 1931: The obituary includes the same story from the Mankato Daily Review above with the following addion: When they were taking them to their camp they came to a place where they had to ford the Minnesota River. The Indians stripped him naked, threw him into the river and told him to go ahead and cross. Albert could not swim and never been in a lake of river before. Luckily for him, however, the Indians were driving a herd of cale across the river. He caught hold of the tail of a cow and was dragged ashore. August Urban story published June 1932 in the Truman Tribune by John Wood Bussman: This is a true story about a lile boy that was captured by the Indians. In the years 1981 August Urban, a boy of eight years, moved with his parents from Wisconsin to Renville County, Minnesota. The Indians seemed quiet and friendly then and they made the trip in safety. The Indians in this part of Minnesota were not very friendly to the whites and several mes shot and killed a few of the whites. One me just aer this boy came to Minnesota he saw an Indian shoot a lile girl’s hand off. The girl was hugging her mother and the shot that tore off her hand killed her mother. One day two men were cung hay for the soldiers and found the bodies of a number of white people. They ran at once and told the rest of the people what they had found and all of them thought it best to start for Fort Ridgely. So at night they hitched the oxen to the wagons and put the women and children in the wagons and started for the Fort. They could not travel very fast in those days and met the Indians before they reached the Fort. Those Indians seemed friendly and told the white people that they would take care of them. They took the women and children to their tents. The white men were made to walk beside the wagons and at a whistle from one Indian each Indian shot a white man.mThe Indian squaws were jealous of the white women and used to cover them with rags or anything they could whenever the Indian men came near. The Indians let the white people have their pick of the food the cooked. They cooked chickens and ducks, feathers and all, and just heated the potatoes through in the coals. The white women promised the Indian men that if they were paired they would not be their squaws. The Indians thought that the children should be shot. They shot at August Urban, who was stunned and fell. Another boy fell partly over him killed. The Indians thought August was dead too but by night he and three other children and one woman got away and started for the Fort. For sixteen and a half days they wandered around on the prairie. They had no food except grass, bark of trees and roots. One day they found melon rinds on the road and ate every bit of them, skin and all. Water was scarce and they had to drink water they found in sink holes or any place. Once or twice they met friendly Indians who gave them a few crusts of bread. Most of the me they travelled by night and hid in the woods or swamps by day for fear of meeng unfriendly Indians. When they did reach the Fort they were nearly starved and begged for food and water. The soldiers gave them just a lile food and water at first for fear they might eat too much and die. The rest of the white people stayed with the Indians for six weeks. Then some soldiers went and got them away from the Indians. August’s mother was one of the white women who was kept by the Indians all this me. August Urban sll has a lump on his head where the bullet hit him when he was a boy of nine years.

Notes on this arcle: From Albert’s account and other sources listed in the bibliography it is clear there are some inconsistencies in this arcle either because August was not clear in his recounng or the reporter misunderstood August as he gave his account of the uprising.

50 Urbans and the Dakota Uprising of 1862 compiled by Marba Pogue (copyright 2009): Monday, 18 August 1862 started out to be another roune day at the Urban homestead near Sacred Heart creek in Flora Township, Renville County, Minnesota. Johann was away at New Ulm where he worked in a wagon wheel shop and helped in the fields. His wife, Pauline, was at home with their children, August 9 years, Ernesna 7 years, Albert 4 years 11 months, Rose 6 days shy of her third birthday and lile 1 year old Louise. Pauline and the children were beginning to relax aer another hard day of chores when Emeal Grundman and August Fross drove excitedly up to the house. Each man prodded an ox team with a pitch fork to hurry the oxen along. They informed Pauline that the Indians were killing the white selers. She was instructed to gather the children together and meet at the home of Paul Kitzman where they would decide what course of acon should be taken. During the discussion that ensued with the enre community assembled at the Kitzman home some people said it was difficult to believe the Indians were on the warpath since they had lived together peacefully up to this me. Paul Kitzman was one who held this belief and so sent two men to the John Schwandt house to invesgate. The men returned with a coat belonging to Schwandt's hired man, John Fross. It was blood stained and had a bullet hole in it. They had found most of the family murdered. Everyone was now convinced the Indians were indeed on the warpath. The ox teams were hitched to wagons and at 8:00 P.M. 13 families with 11 ox-drawn wagons le for Fort Ridgely. They started traveling on the fort road but soon veered off to the northeast toward Renville hoping to avoid the war pares by taking a more indirect route. At 2 or 3 A.M. they again changed course toward Beaver Creek, heading around that stream toward the fort. Two hours aer dawn they had travelled about 14 miles - half the distance to the fort. At that me the selers spoed a band of eight Sioux (Dakota) on a hill to the west. The Dakota were all armed as they approached the selers who had only two guns and no ammunion. One Indian who knew Paul Kitzman dismounted, came forward to inquire of him where they were going. Kitzman answered that the Indians were killing all the white people so they were leaving. The Dakota man replied that it was the Chippewa (Ojibway) who were killing the white people therefore the selers were to return to their homes under Dakota protecon. Much goodwill and handshaking followed and the guns were put away. The Indians also asked for something to eat because they were hungry. The selers collected some bread and gave it to the Indians who sat in a circle with their guns behind them. The Dakota began to escort the selers back to their homes at mes riding ahead of the wagons, other mes riding behind. Somemes the Dakota were even out of sight but they were always watching. When the group of selers was within sight of their homes, they came upon the bodies of two men and a dog. At that me, the Indians were ahead and out of sight. Mr. T. Kraus became upset at the sight. He bolted the horse he was riding and rode out of sight over the hills toward Fort Ridgely for help. Mr. Kraus' wife was screaming and there was a great deal of confusion as the Indians approached once again from the west. The Indians inquired as to the whereabouts of Mr. Kraus but no one answered. The Indians went ahead of the wagons a short distance, dismounted and returned to the wagons, four on each side, and opened fire. Confusion reigned; everyone was screaming, some jumped from the wagons and threw themselves on the ground. All but three of the men were killed in the first round of shoong. Some women and children were beaten, shot or tomahawked to death.

51 Mrs. Guess was caught in the trace chains of an ox team that ran into the brush. Aer being dragged for a distance, she freed herself and eventually made her way to Fort Ridgely. August Urban received a glance shot on the forehead. He was stunned and fell unconscious. Another boy who was mortally wounded fell on top of him. The Indians le them both for dead. It was almost dark and 25 people lay dead and more were injured. Another group of Indians had appeared on a hill overlooking the scene and watched the enre massacre. The new band of Indians joined the original group and took the survivors capve. Among the survivors were Pauline Urban and her four other children - Ernesne, Albert, Rose and Louise. Aer the Indians le the scene under cover of darkness, selers who were wounded or assumed dead began to sr. Minnie Krieger, 6 years old, Caroline Krieger 11 years, Lizzie Krieger 10 years, Tillie Krieger 13 years old, Mrs. Anna Zable , who was wounded in the hip and August Urban carried 18 wounded children to the Krieger home nearby. Caroline and Tillie Krieger took water back to the dying men and women in the field. The others in the lile group became alarmed because Caroline and Tillie were gone so long. Lizzie Krieger and Mrs. Zable went to look for them while August Urban and Minnie Krieger stayed with her 6-month old sister and the other wounded children. Mrs. Zable and the Krieger sisters finally returned near dawn the next day, 20 August. Mrs. Zable thought it would be dangerous to stay at the house because the Indians might return and kill them. The Krieger girls, August Urban and Mrs. Zable washed in the brook and went to Mr. Tillie's house looking for food. All they found was some flour which they mixed with water and ate. The lile group decided to try to reach Fort Ridgely but they were unable to carry baby Kieger any further. As the rest wandered that day, they came upon what they supposed was the body of Mrs. Krieger. As it turned out, the girls' mother was only wounded and was later rescued and taken to Fort Ridgely. That night the Krieger girls, August Urban and Anna Zable once again reached the Krieger home to find the Dakota had indeed returned, burned the house with the dead and dying children sll inside.

The morning of 21 August they started again on their way to the fort. At first the group traveled by day but disconnued that when they came near to being captured. They slept during the day and traveled at night. They had nothing to eat so were forced to eat grass, tree bark and roots and drank water from sink holes. One day, they found red onions in an abandoned house and ate those with delight. Another day they found melon rinds and devoured those. One evening at dusk, they came upon approximately 15 bodes of men, women and children. At this locaon, the small band of refugees again was almost caught by Indians. The Dakota were on foot and walked close to the group. However, they remained undetected by hiding perfectly sll in the brush unl the Indians passed. Another evening, about 15 days since the first aack, the Krieger girls, Anna Zable and August Urban were five miles from Fort Ridgely when they spoed another band of Indians on the road ahead of them. They quickly dove into the tall grass beside the road hiding unl the Indians passed. That was the end of their travel that night! In the morning the group almost ran into an Indian camp. The Indians didn't see them so the group ran back to the woods to hide.

The last day Minnie Krieger was exhausted and could go no farther. Mrs. Anna Zable urged them to leave her behind. Lizzie Krieger and the other children would not hear of it and dragged Minnie to a creek, put water on her head and rested awhile. They were then able to connue together. At last the 52 fort appeared in the distance. They were overjoyed and sat down to rest. It was enough for them to just look at it. When soldiers in the fort saw them, a wagon was sent to pick them up. The children and Mrs. Zable had been on the road 12 days aer eventually leaving the selement. Catherine Buery Vogtman Submied by Glenn R. Vogtman, Great-Grandson The following narrave was transcribed by Glenn R. Vogtman, great-grandson of the author, Mrs. John Vogtman (née Catherine Buery), from a copy of the original newspaper publicaon. Every effort was made to transcribe the story as faithfully as it was wrien including errors in grammar, spelling, punctuaon, syntax, etc. Any aempt to make correcons for purposes of meaning, clarity, or accuracy (as in the spelling of proper names) was done in italics within brackets [ ]. Mrs. John Vogtman (née Catherine Buery) was a 14 year old daughter of George Buery, an early seler of the La Croix Creek (Birch Coulie) area near present day Morton, Minnesota at the me of the 1862 Dakota Conflict. In August, 1862, the family consisted of George Buery, his wife Salomé/Sally (née Kaufman), daughters: Catherine, age 14 years, Margaret/Maggie, age 12 years, Emily, age 4 years, Mary Ann, age 3 years, and Martha, age 9 months; and a son: George Evere, age 6 years. HUBBARD COUNTY CLIPPER Park Rapids, Minnesota, Jan. 29, 1914 “THE SIOUX MASSACRE” “A Thrilling Sketch of the Horrible Massacre of Selers By Indians in 1862” RELATED BY EYE WITNESS Mrs. Vogtman Gives Her Personal Experiences During Those Trying Times Several months ago Mrs. John Vogtman was requested by the editor of the Clipper to write a sketch of her personal experiences of that awful massacre by the Sioux Indians in Renville County, this state. The Indians went on the war path on the morning of August 18, 1862, and they started their murderous work three miles northwest of the Lower Sioux Agency. Mrs. Vogtman describes the cruelty and decepon of the Indian and the hardships of the selers in a very interesng manner. The arcle will be published in two installments, the second installment to be published in our next issue. The morning dawned bright and clear aer a rainy spell of several of several days. Father had a lot of hay ready to stack, so he yoked his oxen to the wagon and he and mother went to haul hay. I being the oldest was le with the rest of the children to keep house while they were gone. My uncle [John Kumro] had started for New Ulm that morning with some wheat to have it ground, he having threshed it with the flail, as there were no threshing machines there at that me. When he got to where the road turned to the Agency the Whites [Caucasians] that lived there were all fleeing away, some bare headed and bare footed, carrying their children in their night clothes. One man carrying his arm in a sling, he being shot by the Indians that morning. So my uncle le his team with them and returned for his family and came to nofy my father’s family. About this me father drove up with his first load, another boy rode up to tell us that the Indians were at their house when he came away.

Packing up such things as they wanted, they told them they had beer leave, so they took the ox team, packed the women and children in the wagon, this being Mrs. Eunes’ [also spelled Juni] family, and their neighbor’s wife and child, Mrs. Mike Haden [Hayden]. The men remained to load some things on Mrs. Haden’s team, and to look up their cale to drive them along, as we were all pioneers and had only lived there three years and what lile we had was dearly earned and was badly needed. We had harvested our first crop a few days before. Returning to us they upset the hay and put on the wagon

53 box and we packed the children and ourselves into it. My father’s family bible lay on the table, I took it and a half a loaf of bread, some knives and we started to go towards Fort Ridgely, but intended to stop at Magnus Johnsons [more likely Edward Magner’s place] and consult what to do. When we got about a mile from home we met two Indians, who upon seeing us stopped, and loaded their gun, they having but one shot gun, so we stopped they came up to us and asked where we were going. We told them what we had heard and they said we should go back, that the Indians had broken into the warehouse to get something to eat, and that they did not intend to hurt the selers. They also told us they were hunng their ponies so they went on, and we turned around to go back. Now we lived on the Minnesota River boom, but we had climbed the hill where it is a level prairie, so the men went back to the brow of the hill to look down to the main road and saw two teams, Mr. Haden’s and our nearest neighbors wife, Mrs. Kirchnes [Kaertner or Keartner], and some one driving a herd of cale and our cale with them. About a mile to the north was Mr. Wi mowing hay, his boy would drive out and he would load on a load and the boys’ mother would help him stack it when he came home. Now when father and uncle turned and looked into the boom they saw thirteen Indian warriors ascending the hill about a mile to the east of us going straight for Mr. Wi’s home. His boy would drive the team to where his father was mowing and he would load for him and his mother would help him stack it. Now when the boy drove to the stack he heard shoong in the house and saw Indians, so he crawled in the hay and hid. The father thinking the boy was having trouble with his load started home to see, but when he got in the house he found his wife lying on the floor, shot dead. She had been down cellar aer something for dinner, the trap door stood open and a boy about ten years old was shot and fell in the cellar, having been shot in the shoulders. A lile babe of six weeks old was in the cradle unhurt. The rest of the children were hid around the house, so he wrapped his wife in a blanket, buried her side of the house, dressed the boy’s shoulder, took some bedding, the children, some cows, and started for the Fort, arriving there without seeing an Indian. Father said let us drive down the hill where the Indians ascended, so we came just ahead of Mr. Haden’s team, and father stayed back and they planned what to do. When we struck the road which came from the agency, the dead body of Mr. Manly [?] lay by the side of the road, bare headed and bare footed, shot in the breast. Just then three Indians came up the road, one came to our wagon, one to Mrs. Kirchnes and the third stood back with his gun. Father had reached the wagon as the Indian got there, and he shook hands with father. The other Indian wanted to take Mrs. Kirschnes’ gun she refused, so he pulled his gun to shoot her when she threw the gun down and le the wagon. Meanme the Indian at our wagon told us all to get off. My brother nine years old refused [this would be George Evere, actually age 6 years], whereupon he hauled up his tomahawk, but father jerked him away, the tomahawk skinning about an inch in the side board of the wagon box. I then asked the Indian to let me have the Bible and he threw it towards me and the bread, and I reached for a knife, but he would not let me have it. Now Mr. Hadens [Hayden] had stopped their team and was watching to see how we were geng along, so the Indians told us to take the road, but we turned and climbed the hill again. Now the other team was with Mr. Mike and John Haden and five children of a neighbor’s by the name of Eicenrich [Eisenreich], the parents driving their cale, a herd of 22 head. When we got about half way up the hill we heard two shots, but the three Indians and the two men were standing, but when we got out of sight of them we heard two more shots. This was about a mile east of La Croix Creek. When Mrs. Eicenrich reached the Creek she told her husband she would follow the children, but she never saw her

54 husband again. As she was hurrying along she overtook Mr. Kirchnes and a Mr. Shurk [?], they were walking all three abreast, she in the center, when those three Indians came up in front of them, they told her to stop, whereupon they shot both men dead, and told her to go on. When she reached her children, they had been thrown off from the wagon and some Indians had taken the three teams to the Agency. Just then an Indian came on horseback, took the oldest boy on the horse, and also took the woman and the rest of the children prisoners. The boy fell off from the horse and broke his arm. They were aerwards released at Camp Relice [Release]. Our party had reached the top of the prairie when we saw an object a lile ways ahead in the slough. We thought it was an Indian and he thought we were Indians, but finally we made out that it was a white man so he joined our party, which now counted fieen. Now east of us was a deep ravine, and we were going around it to reach the house we were aiming for, Magnus Johnston’s [more likely Edward Magner’s place per Saerlee], when we heard a woman scream and saw the smoke ascent from the very house we were going to stop at. Dr. Humphery [Humphrey] and his family, numbering five in all started from the Agency for the fort, but when they reached this house they sat down on a bench to rest and sent the oldest boy, about 12 years old, to the spring across the road on the brow of the hill, but before he got on the hill heard a shot and looking over the hill saw the Indians shoot his father and his mother then ran in the house with her two lile children, then the Indians set fire to it, and all three were burned to death, but the boy made his escape to the Fort. We watched unl we were sick at heart, then we proceeded to go around the ravine to get in the road to the Fort, when we spyed [sic] two objects at a distance, then we saw that the woman wore a shacker, a kind of bonnet worn at that me by women, who also joined our party, which now numbered seventeen in all. The Indians were at their home, and packed everything that they wanted, so we journeyed on ll we got in the road towards the Fort, when a man on horseback came up the road calling, ‘go back,’ so we went into a slough and laid down in the tall grass. We stayed about an hour then we traveled north and made a circle towards the Fort. At last just at sunset, we saw the guard outside the Fort, who at first thought that we were Indians, but when they observed we were white folks, they came to meet us. It was just dusk as we entered Fort Ridgely. Returning to our neighbors, Mrs. Eunes’ family with Mrs. Haden and a Mr. Zimmerman his wife three boys and two girls, with another team had preceded us and it was remarkable, both Mrs. Eune and Mrs. Zimmerman were blind, but they had gone about a half mile farther than we and had reached Mr. Faraboult [Faribault], the government Indian interpreter. When they ran into the massacre the Indians had shot Mr. Faraboult and ed him to the back end of a wagon head down and dragged him to death [cannot verify who this was]. They then proceeded to Mr. Zimmerman’s wagon. Mrs. Zimmerman understood the Indians as they said they would kill the men, whereupon she put her arms around her husband and ask them to kill her and leave him with the children, but they shot him out of her arms, the oldest boy twenty years, one seventeen year old boy they also shot, leaving her and the three youngest. Now Mrs. Hayden took her child and slipped off the back of the wagon and succeeded in geng into the brush and tall grass and reached the Fort that night without seeing any more Indians. The Indians then drove the two blind women into Mr. Faraboult’s house and fastened them in, telling them they would return and burn them up, but in the aernoon a man fleeing for the Fort broke open the window and they all reached the Fort.

55 Mr. June [?] did not reach the Fort unl the third day. He had been driving his cale, but was forced to leave them and hide. A few rods to the south where the Indians took our team a man had been hiding in the willows and saw how we had been treated, he also saw the Indians shoot the two Hadens. When we reached the Fort, red, hungry, and down hearted, they took us into one of the log houses, brought us some rice tea, and bread. We had just started a fire when the sound of a gun was heard, whereupon they took us into the quarters which were built of stone, for safety. They then took every man and put him on guard outside, without having had either dinner or supper. Now let me state the condion the war was in at that point. Most of the soldiers having been called out, the Fort had been le with as few men as possible, there being not more than 25 men at the Fort that evening, as Captain Marsh had le that morning with 40 men, for the Agency. By reading the narrave of the fih Minnesota, in the Civil and Indian wars, you will get a more correct account of it in the Bale of Redwood, as it was then called, although it was the Lower Sioux Agency. Mr. J. C. Dickinson was one of the party that took my uncle’s oxen, but when Mr. Dickinson reached the Faribault home they took the oxen off and put on the laer’s horses as Mr. Faribault felt secure, he being married to a squaw, but in reality was no safer than the whites. Mr. Dickinson’s brother was missing, so he went out with the burial party in search of his brother, and was killed in the Bale of Birch Coulie. Captain Marsh with his party on reaching the Minnesota River were all ambushed, and all but thirteen were killed, the remainder having been wounded, arrived at the Fort some ten days later. About 40 young men from the Upper and Lower Sioux Agency, had been enlisted to go south and had started for St. Peter the Friday before to be mustered into the service. A messenger was sent to St. Peter, and also the enre regiment of Renville Rangers under the command of Lieut. Sheehan, who took charge of affairs at the Fort. The same day the money for the annuity of the Indians arrived at the Fort, amounng to $71,000.00. On Tuesday morning, about 10:00 o’clock a small band of Indians aacked the Fort, fighng for about an hour aer which they beat a retreat. Meanwhile a young man, who had been sick, by the name of Rickey, about 19 years old, died in the quarters, with his loved ones about him making the end as comfortable as possible. On Wednesday at 8:00 P.M. the 20th, of August, the Indians appeared in great numbers and commenced a fierce bale. The Fort is situated on the edge of the prairie about a half mile from the Minnesota River a mbered boom intervening and a wooded ravine running up out of the boom around two sides of the Fort within about twenty rods of the buildings affording shelter for the enemy on three sides within easy rifle or musket range. The men were instantly formed in line of bale by order of Lieut. Sheehan. Two men, Mark M. Grear of Company C. and Wm. Goode of Company B. fell at first fire, aer which the men broke for shelter and from windows and the shelter of the buildings fired upon the enemy. Robert Baker, a cizen, who had escaped from the Lower Sioux Agency, was shot through the head and instantly killed while standing at a window in the quarters. The forces in the Fort at this me were the remnant of Company B. 5th, Regiment. M. V. Culver’s 30 men, about 50 men of Company C. The Renville Rangers under the command of Lieut. Gorman, Sargent [sic] Jones of the regular army, a brave and skillful man, took charge of the arllery of which there was in the Fort, six pieces of which three were used, two six pounders and one twenty-four pound field piece. One of the guns was placed in charge of a cizen named J. C. Whipple, who had seen service in the Mexican war and in the United States Navy. One in charge of Sargent [sic] McGrew of Company C. the other in charge of Sargent [sic] Jones in person. The number of the Indians that were engaged was esmated at five hundred warriors, lead [sic] by Lile Crow. To render the posion of beleaguered garrison more crical, the magazine was some twenty rods outside of the main works on the open prairie. Only a small poron of ammunion had been removed inside. Men were at once detailed to

56 take the ammunion into the Fort, which duty they performed, working all the aernoon with Indian bullets raining across the open space over which they had to pass, unl the last ounce was safely within the barracks. In the meanme the Indians had got into some of the log houses used for the soldiers families and behind some hay stacks, from which they poured heavy volleys into the Fort, but a few well directed shells from the howitzers set them on fire, and when night came it was a sight never to be forgoen, to those who witnessed the scene. The great danger feared by all was that the Indians would crawl under cover of darkness to the buildings and set fire by fire arrows, igning the dry roofs, but the loving eye of God was watching over us and about midnight the heavens opened and the rain began to fall, “Rain, Rain, Thank God, Thank God,” went around the beleaguered garrison. Men women and children breathed once more in comparave safety. In this bale two were killed and nine wounded; during the bale of the tweneth, Indians had taken possession of a stable in the rear of Sargent [sic] Jones’ quarters and held it unl night, when Whipple was ordered to shell it and set it on fire, two shells were thrown from the mountain howitzer, both bursng inside of the building, seng the hay on fire. Two half breeds, Joe Latour and George Dashner of the Renville Rangers were staoned at the bakery within easy rifle range of the stable. As a shell went crashing into the building, an Indian sprang out of the door and started for the ravine; a ball from Dasher’s rifle brought him to the ground and when he tried to crawl away from the burning building, Dashner, seeing the move, dropped gun and simply saying, “Come Joe,” they started for the stable and seizing the wounded, struggling wretch, pitched him headlong into the flames and shoung the Indian war-hoop returned unhurt. Meanwhile the government was pressing men and teams into the service to take the refugees to safety. So one morning a string of teams drove in front of quarters, loading on those that had fled to the fort for safety. There was a long string of teams under an escort of soldiers. We drove unl sunset when we stopped for the night. Some barrels of hard tack were opened and distributed. The well, an old fashioned one where the water was drawn was not far from the house where we stopped. With so many people, drawing the water was naturally slow work with a bucket, but when they tried to drink this water it had a rank taste. Hair was discovered and the head of a woman was dipped up in the bucket. Now we were le without water and that hardtack was so hard that it could not be broken with hammer or stone. We had been traveling all day where the stench from the bodies of the dead animals that had died from overeang unprotected green corn. Now and then we would pass a new mound where some unfortunate one had been murdered and the remains le in the sun. A few shovels of earth was thrown upon them to get them out of sight but the air was something fearful that night. We slept under the canopy of heaven, mother earth for our bed. Morning dawned at last. Some more hard tack for breakfast and the journey resumed. Slow and weary we traveled on ll we reached St. Peter. Here we were treated to hot soup that contained so much pepper we could hardly eat it. Then we were escorted to some unfinished buildings for shelter and without bedding of any kind. The next morning the men were informed that if they would go out of town and work in the harvest fields themselves and families would be provided with provisions, if not, the women and children would receive soup once a day. Father told them he could not do it as he had a large family and winter was near. He needed clothing and bedding so poor father had to go hungry some of the me. We remained here several days as we had no means of geng away ll one day a small steam boat loaded with wheat made its appearance and father made arrangements with captain for our transportaon to St. Paul. Three more families went with us, Mr. Eune, his blind wife and children, Mr. Kumro’s family and Mr. and Mrs. Yess. Mrs. Yess had a bullet in her head received in the flight from the

57 Indians. While on the boat we would lay for hours at a me on some sand bar in the middle of the river, the men carrying the wheat sacks first to the front and then to the rear to change the ballast so we could work off the bar. The third day out the boat struck a snag and sprung a leak. This put the men on the pumps and for three days and nights we were without food and that while among supposed civilized people. They told us we could be sasfied for being on the boat. The banks of the river at this point were heavily mbered and run over with wild grape vines, making it an excellent place for the Indians to hide so the men were put on guard every night which added greatly to their suffering. Finally father asked the Captain how far we were from Le Suer [sic] and on learning we were but four miles from there by land we received permission to land. On landing our first thought was of something to eat. We tried to buy some bread at the first house but they were threshing and could not let us have any but they directed to us another house about a mile away. At last we reached this house and were kindly received. The lady gave a dish pan to the men and told them to dig some potatoes and some got some water. Mrs. Burch, the lady of the house, made biscuit and such a feast as we had. Some of the crowd took sick from over eang they were so hungry. The meal being over we wended our way to Le Suer [sic] four miles distant where we were well cared for, thanks to the cizens. The town had sent the most of its men to assist at New Ulm. Our men went to work the next day for one dollar per day in the harvest field. This was in September, the grain was all uncut and much of it went to waste. Mrs. Eune the blind woman died soon aer, leaving a large family of children. Father walked to Mankato the following December to witness the hanging of the 38 Indians, the most of whom we were acquainted with, having lived across the Minnesota river about two miles from our home. I will now come to a close, having told you but a small part of what really happened. There were many sad sights to witness as the refugees came into the Fort. One woman and a small babe that were badly burned and Mrs. Trohp [Frolip], aer being shot with fine shot so her back looked like a seive [sic]; the two lile boys that le their lile baby brothers asleep in a house so they could get to the Fort; the arrival of Mrs. Crothers [Carrothers] and her two children from capvity amongst the Indians and many more. We finally moved to our old home in Renville County and many mes we could hear shoong of Indians and some mes see them for a year aer. We lived their [sic] for sixteen years then moved to Hubbard County where we have resided ever since and expect to stay here to the end. May none of the readers of this brief history of pioneer days ever experience anything similar is the wish of the writer. Mrs. J. Vogtman Nathan and Urania Frazer White and Jehiel Wedge Nathan and Urania White and their children, Eugene, Julia, Millard and Frank came to the Beaver Creek area of Renville County on June 28, 1862, just three months before the uprising began. The Whites cabin was set in a locaon at the base of the bluff over Beaver Creek, about two miles from the juncon of the creek and the Minnesota River. Their nephew, Jehiel Wedge, accompanied them and lived there with them. On the day of the uprising on August 18, selers received warning that the Dakota were aacking. Nathan was on his way to a polical meeng that day in Owatonna. Their neighbors, 27 men, women and children, gathered at the home of Jonathan Earle nearby. They hitched their wagons to horses and headed for safety to Fort Ridgely. Soon, the Dakota rose up from the tall grasses, surrounded the selers and took all of their belongings leaving them with only one wagon.

Inially, their lives were spared. The fleeing party had gone only a short distance when the Dakota opened fire on the men pulling the wagon. Even though Jehiel held up a white pillow case as a flag of 58 truce, the pillow case was riddled with bullets. Jehiel and Eugene were killed, and Urania, Julia and Frank were taken hostage. Millard survived and later served on a commiee from the Renville County Pioneers Associaon to locate the lost graves of old selers who were killed in 1862. In 1905, he was appointed to solicit aid from the Minnesota Historical Society and from the Renville County commissioners to suitably mark those hallowed spots. That resulted in what is now know as the Henderson Monument located four miles north of Morton and which bears this inscripon: "Erected by Renville County Pioneers August 18, 1907. In memory of Mrs. S. R. Henderson and her two lile daughters, Jehiel Wedge and Eugene White who were killed by the Indians in the massacre of August 18, 1862. F. Thies axcidently [sic] killed March 1873." Diedrich and Margaret Boorman Wichmann Diedrich was born in Hanover, Germany, was raised on a farm there, and later married Margaret Boorman, also of Hanover. They eventually had seven children, three of whom were born in Germany (Cosmos-known as Fred, Diedrich, and Henry). The family of five traveled to America in 1853, seling on a farm in Cook County, in the state of Illinois, where two more children were born (Dorothea and Fredericka). In 1858, the family moved to Coonwood Township, Brown County, in Minnesota. Another child (William) was born here. In 1860, they moved again to a claim in secon 14, Beaver Falls Township, in Renville County, where the last of their seven children (John) was born. In the summer of 1862, when Diedrich had finished his own harvest, he was hired to harvest hay at the Lower Sioux Agency. On his way to work on August 18, 1862, the first day of the Sioux uprising, he heard shoong across the river, and knew the Indians were aacking the agency. He returned home, running across the prairie and up the bluff, to warn his family and neighbors. Families at once gathered their possessions and animals, and made other preparaons to leave the area. The Wichmann family, along with the Ahrens and Schmidt families, le their homesteads, traveling in an easterly direcon at night, while hiding in the woods during the day. Aer stopping at Ft. Ridgely to pick up son Fred, who was employed there, the Wichmanns connued their journey unl reaching Illinois, where they remained for the next couple of years. In the fall of 1864, the family moved to the New Ulm area of Minnesota, and, in the spring of 1865, they moved back to their old claim in the northeast quarter of secon 14, Beaver Falls Township. The original farmhouse was no longer standing, so a stable was used as a home unl one could be built. In his istory of Renville County, Franklyn Curss-Wedge described Diedrich Wichmann as "one of the most honored of the early pioneers, one of the heroes of the days of the Indian uprising, and for many years an esteemable cizen." Diedrich died in 1891 at age 69. His death was aributed to heart failure. Findagrave Memorial by Bill Cox, photo courtesy of the Renville County Historical Society.

59 Carl and Fredericka Fick Wi nd Submied by Mary Lou Erickson, 2 Great-Granddaughter Joseph Wi was born 12 Mar 1861 near Birch Coulie in Renville County. Joseph’s mother, Frederika Fick Wi, was the second wife of Carl Wi. Carl’s first wife was Frederika’s sister who died in Wisconsin soon aer the family immigrated (about 1857) to the US from Wangerine, Prussia. We do not know her first name. Carl then married Frederika who had accompanied them to the United States. Carl and his first wife had four children – all born in Wangerine: William Frank - 01 Aug 1848; Maria Augusta - 30 Jul 1849; Johanna Louise - 12 Jun 1852; Herman Charles or H. Carl - late 1854 Carl married Frederika when she was 18 at Prairie DuSac, Salk, Wisconsin at the Church of the Congregaon of Oer and Honey Creek, 05 Jun 1858.Their first child, a daughter named Mary, was born 04 Dec 1858 when they were sll living at Prairie DuSac. The family had seled in Renville County at Birch Coulie someme shortly aer the 1860 census which placed them in Milford, Brown County, Minnesota. They had friends among the local Indians, and Frederika oen shared the family’s food with them. Also, when she put bread or a pie in the window to cool, it would disappear, somemes replaced by wild game. On the morning of 18 Aug 1862, Carl and William – age 14 - were cung hay in a distant field, 12 year old Maria Augusta was working in New Ulm and the other children were playing near or in the cabin. William had brought home a load of hay and was unloading the wagon, and Frederika was stacking it in the yard. A group of Indians appeared and Frederika went to e up the family dog that always went aer the Indians. One of the Indians shot her in the chest as she was doing this and she died immediately. She was only age 22. William was able to hide behind the wagon and run into the trees. H. Carl, who was 8, was shot in the hip and head (flesh wounds); he fell down and pretended to be dead. The other children hid in the house, Mary (almost 4) and Joseph( 17 months) were under the bed and Johanna (age 10) was behind the door. One Indian came into the cabin to raid the family’s possessions. He looked under the bed and made a hand moon to the two children to be quiet. He did not harm them. My grandmother always believed this Indian was one of their friendly Indians and saved the children’s lives. He was a hunter and she felt he had to know the two lile ones were under the bed and Johanna was behind the door when he entered the cabin. He chose to protect them and because of him, there are hundreds of Wi descendants alive today. William ran to Carl and told him what had happened. Carl came back to the yard, buried Frederika where she had fallen, packed up the children and made his way to Fort Ridgely for safety. He stopped on the way to bury a neighbor named Piguar. This act speaks volumes to me as to his character. He was facing imminent danger but stopped to do the decent thing to bury not only his wife but also his neighbor. Grandma never talked about what the family experienced at Fort Ridgely but they had to have been there through the worst of the fighng. They then went to New Ulm and St Peter. They were extremely lucky to survive the Uprising. They finally landed in the Belle Plaine, Union Hill area, where Carl Wi married wife number 3, Anna “Helena” Hoffman Giesen, a widow with two children. Helena and Carl had four more children together, quite a blended family. I will never forget the way my grandmother told the story, especially when the children were hiding under the bed. As she imitated the hand gesture of the Indian, she made a moon with her hand open, all fingers up and ghtly together, quickly tapping her lips. They understood they needed to be quiet. We do not know what happened to our friendly Indian. 60 Submied by Brian Wi, 5th Great-Grandson The biography of the Carl Wi family is indeed one that portrays the spirit and determinaon of the pioneer seler even under extreme difficules. It is filled with savagery and tragedy as well as with happiness. The Carl Wis and their four children came from Wangerin, Germany to LaCrosse, Wisconsin in 1857. Wangerin was located in the state of Pomerania in Protestant Germany; approximately 125 northeast of Berlin. Today the community is located in Poland. While in Wisconsin, Mrs. Wi passed away. Carl was married again to his deceased wife's sister and in 1859 he moved the family to Brown County, Minnesota. Shortly aerwards they began farming in the Birch Coulie area of the Minnesota River Valley in Renville County near Morton, Minnesota. They were located near the Sioux Indian Reservaon and so became acquainted with many of them on the reservaon. In 1862, the young Sioux braves, angered by the past misdeeds of the white man went on the war path determined to kill all white selers in southern Minnesota. Many white selers were killed including Mrs. Wi as the warriors headed southeast to aack Fort Ridgely. The following is the story of this tragedy as told by one of their children, H. Carl Wi: "It was about noon. Father had gone some distance away to cut hay and my brother William had brought home a load with the oxen a short me before. My stepmother was stacking the hay in the yard and William was unloading it when five Indians appeared. They had on warpaint and carried guns, but were on foot. We had a big dog that always made for Indians and when my stepmother saw them coming she got down and caught the dog and ed him up, as she always did when Indians came. But they walked up to the stack and without saying a word, shot my stepmother in the breast. She died almost instantly. William jumped down from the wagon on the side opposite the Indians and ran into the woods. We children were playing near the cabin. My oldest sister, Augusta, was working in New Ulm. There was an opening for a cellar beside the cabin and I was standing beside it when one of the Indians leveled his gun at me. One bullet struck me in the back of the head and another entered my le hip. Although I was not quite eight years old, I knew enough to lie sll when I fell. I had fallen into the cellar opening. The other children had hidden in a lile smoke house father had built. "For some reason, the Indians didn't stay to kill the rest of us. They probably thought I was dead and may not have seen the others. Anyway, they didn't stop to take any scalps but hurried on, perhaps to aack some other family. William had hidden in a hollow log in the woods, and, wounded as I was, I ran with the other children to find him. He went aer my father, who came home at once. They buried my stepmother where she had fallen and we packed up and set out for Fort Ridgely with the oxen. At the fort, a doctor removed the two bullets from my head and my hip. It seems that the bullet that entered my head had glanced and did not penetrate deeply, while the other had caused only a flesh wound. "We stayed at the fort unl the worst part of the fighng was over and then went to New Ulm. We remained there awhile and then went to St. Peter and from there came to Belle Plaine, where we were housed in a warehouse with other refugees. If it were not for the small cannon at the Fort we would all have been killed.” Aer a brief stay in Belle Plaine, the family moved to Union Hill in 1863 where they seled on the Franz Giesen farm. Carl later married Mrs. John Giesen, a widow with two children. Her husband had died shortly aer finding his brother, Franz, dead under a fallen tree. Mrs. John Giesen (Helen Hoffmann) was born in Dollendorf, Germany, to William and Sybilla Hoffmann who brought her to this country in 1854. She married her neighbor, John Giesen and lived on his farm unl his death. They had two children, Frank of Union Hill and Mrs. John Lenz (Elizabeth) of Ellsworth. Carl's family consisted of four sets of children. To his first wife were born four children. They were William of Shakopee, Mrs. Joseph Hoffmann (Augusta), H. Carl, and Mrs. Peter Klinkhammer (Louisa) of Union Hill. His second wife bore him two children, Joe of New Ulm and Mrs. Peter Beendorf (Mary) of 61 St. Cloud. His last marriage gave him two foster children and four of his own. The four were Mrs. Tom Lenz (Margred) of Ellsworth, John of Omaha, Henry of Union Hill, and Mrs. Math Seuer (Helen) of New Market. From: The Early Selers of St. John's Parish at Union Hill in 1867, by Victorin J. Ruhland, June 1967. John and Mary Zimmerman Submied by Catherine Wetzel, 2nd Great-Granddaughter Account of the John and Mary Zimmermann Family by their daughter, Elizabeth Zimmermann Hangartner. A copy of this account was obtained from Catherine Wetzel, a great-granddaughter of Elizabeth. Beaver Bay, Minnesota June 27, 1929 New Ulm’s Diamond Jubilee & Homecoming, New Ulm, Minnesota Gentlemen: In reply to your Hearty and Cordial Invitaon to aend the Diamond Jubilee of the first selers in your community which will take place in New Ulm, July 4, 5, 6 and 7th, I am sorry that on account of being blind and in poor physical condion I am not able to aend, but instead, will send my life history as I remember it. My parents, Mr. & Mrs. John Zimmermann, and children, John, Godfrey, Sam, Mary, and myself, Elizabeth, moved from Parishburg, Ohio, to Beaver Bay, Minnesota in 1857. On account of hardships at Beaver Bay we had to take our oxen and belongings and move to New Ulm. The land which we acquired [in Renville County] was a half mile from a small town called [Lower Sioux] Agency about ten miles up Minnesota River from Fort Ridgely and on the same side. Through much difficulty, father built a small house about a half block away from the river. We children used to go fishing and swimming in the river. I oen remember catching cat fish that weighed 50 pounds more or less, and had to have father help me pull them in. Father sold several of these fish for one cent a pound which was a very good price at that me. Ralesnakes were very plenful. Having a good dog for a companion, he saved our lives many a me. We used to have great enjoyment picking wild plums and grapes. This fruit was a great help to the folks in those days because of hardships. They were used as preserves and to make wine from. As I remember, it was the third summer that the Indian War broke out. Early one morning, a man came to our house and said the Indians were shoong down the town of Agency. Father was not home at the me, but was helping one of the neighbors to make hay. Later a half-breed came across the river and warned us to go away, for the Indians were breaking loose. When father got home, he took his oxen team and necessary belongings and started for the Fort. My brother, John, also drove a neighbor’s oxen team. This neighbor happened to be a blind woman who had three children. We went about a half mile with the oxen teams past the first neighbor when we met two Indians. When they saw us, they clapped their hands together and gave the “Indian War Whoop.” There was a man that ferried people across the river, that father knew real well. He came to tell father that the Indians were shoong, but on his way was killed. We found him dead with a lile dog sing along side of him. We went about a half-mile further, while passing a farm house, two Indians ran out. They stopped the oxen and told father they were going to shoot him. My father insisted on giving the Indians the oxen and belongings, but they said, that they were going to shoot all the men and boys so they could not farm anymore. My mother, who was blind, told the Indians to shoot her as father could take beer care of us children. Meanwhile more Indians including the chief came and immediately 62 killed father, who was sing in the wagon along side of mother. Frightened, my brother John, who was driving the other oxen team, ran for shelter, but in doing so, was shot three mes in the back and fell head-long into the creek [likely Birch Coulie Creek]. Godfrey started to run for the woods when he was shot, and dropped right near my father. Our blind neighbor woman, who was with us, went to get her money from the wagon which was in the cigar box. The Indian chief saw this. He quickly came to her and began pulling at the cigar box but she would not give it up. He held his hatchet ready to split her head when my sister Mary told her to let it go. He broke the box with his hatchet and put all the silver and gold in his long tobacco pouch. It just about filled the pouch which was a foot long. He took a penny and threw it at the blind woman’s head which I picked up later for a gold piece. During the excitement the oxen ran into the woods with the wagon and that was the last I saw of them. Tired and fagued we kept on going toward the Fort. When we were halfway up a long grade an Indian on a pony came and drove us back to a farm house. At this me, I was carrying the blind woman’s three year old child. Being overloaded I was a lile behind and the Indian lashed me with his whip. I yelled at the blind woman to take the child, so she did. As we were all in the house, the Indian looked all over, including the pantry, for matches but could not find any. Their intenons were to burn us up. Mother told us to run out if you see that they are going to burn us because being shot was a much easier death than burned. They told us to stay there unl tomorrow morning. I said to the Indian, “We have nothing to eat,” in their language. He told us he would bring enough to eat the next morning, so we wouldn’t be hungry again. Two other Indians came and asked me who shot those three persons. I told them that it was the Indians, and he said, it was too bad. They asked me if I wanted something, and I said, “I would like a drink of water.” The Indian asked for a dish. I went into the pantry and gave one to him. He went down to the creek and got some water. He warned us to go away and not stay there any longer. In a short while the soldiers [under Captain John Marsh] came. There were sixty of them in all. The Indians that were le were hiding in the bushes along side of the road and shot at the soldiers as they went by. One of the men had a stove pipe hat on that was amongst the soldiers, and a bullet went through his hat. He only laughed and said to us, “THAT DEVIL THOUGHT I HAD A LONG HEAD.” He picked up his hat and ran for life to catch the rest of the soldiers. This man told us to walk toward the Fort, and so we did. He made the Fort before us and returned with a team of horses to our aid. As we reached the Fort, it was almost dark. Supper surely tasted good as we had nothing to eat all day. The next morning there were several Indians around the Fort. We were sing on the floor with our backs toward the wall. One of the soldiers looked out of a window beside me to get a shot at an Indian, but instead, the Indian shot first and hit him in the cheek.He suddenly dropped his gun, put his hand to his face, and went downstairs. A woman who sat close to me with her feet outstretched was shot in the legs. For someme it looked as if the Indians were geng the upper hand. They were shoong horse, cale, and everything that came in sight. Whiskey was the Indians’ best friend. The Captain ordered the soldiers to put the same in the house not far away. They displayed the whiskey boles so the Indians could easily see it through the windows from a distance. It did not take long before the Indians spyed the whiskey and they crowded in that building like bees. In a short while the Captain gave orders to the soldiers to take kerosene and set the house a fire. At the same me the doors were closed and not one Indian escaped. YOU OUGHT TO HAVE HEARD THE NOISE THEY MADE. THAT IN PARTICULAR I SHALL NEVER FORGET. It looked to me that the Indians on the other side of the river always wanted to make peace. I am sure that is what brought the war so quickly to an end. They put a flag up, but when the soldiers went over, they shot them.

63 One of the generals [Captain John Marsh] was drowned in the river while going over. Before we le the Fort there were plenty of soldiers as far as I could see but he war was close to an end. From Fort Ridgely we went to New Ulm [St. Peter]. They called it nineteen miles at that me. I don’t remember how long we were in New Ulm but from there we went to St. Paul. We stayed there about two years. From so much worry my mother, Mary, lived only one and a half years aer the war. Later, my uncle, Mr. Tisher, sent for us to come and live with them at Duluth. A family by the name of Merris whose children had interest in the Iron Ore Mines of the Arrowhead Country kept me unl I got married. At present there are only Sam, my brother, and I living. Sam Zimmermann lives at Grand Marais, Minnesota. The reason that he was not killed was because he wore a dress at the me of war, and they took him for a girl. Those killed in the war were John Zimmerman, Sr., John Zimmermann, Jr., 21 years old, Godfrey Zimmermann, 10 years old. I married Jacob Hangartner and went to Beaver Bay, Lake County, Minnesota and lived on a homestead. I have lived 72 years in this county.

When they had the Grand Opening of the Babcock Highway from Two Harbors to the Canadian Border, I was honored as the oldest seler in Lake County. I am 80 years of age, and am a mother of nine children, two dead and seven living. Three Survivors of the Dakota Uprising Helen Carrothers, Urania White and Mary Schwandt

These three very amazing women from Renville County gathered for this photograph in their later years and undoubtedly had many stories to share. They are Helen Carrothers McNanney, wife of James Carrothers (right), Urania S. White, wife of Nathan (center), and Mary Schwandt Schmidt, wife of William (le), all three survivors of the Dakota uprising of 1862.

Photo credit: Minnesota Historical Society at: hp://collecons.mnhs.org/visualresources/details.cfm? imageid=35661&ImageNum=1&Page=1&Keywords=three%20survivors&SearchType=Basic

64 The Renville County Pioneers Associaon By Don Heinrich Tolzmann

In the years aer the 1862 Uprising, several historical sociees were formed in Minnesota for the purpose of recording and documenng the experiences of the pioneers. One of them was the Renville County Pioneers Associaon, which was founded in 1902. According to the county history, its goal was “to perpetuate the memory of the selement of Renville County and the strenuous mes of those primive days by frequent social reunions; to preserve the history of those early days and the persons who bore the hardships and privaons of that wild froner life; to culvate the spirit of good fellowship; and to hallow the memory of those early pioneers who blazed the way to civilizaon.” An indicaon of the Associaon’s interest in 1862 was the appointment of a commiee in 1904 which was tasked with the assignment of locang unmarked graves of pioneers who perished during the Uprising. The Commiee consisted of Henry Ahrens, Millard N. White and William Wichmann. At the 1905 meeng, the Commiee reported it had located five such graves and White was appointed to chair a commiee that was to seek support from the Minnesota Historical Society and from the Renville County Commissioners “to suitably mark these hallowed spots.” In his 1906 message, L.A. Brooks, president of the Associaon, stated "I again take the liberty to urge that Renville County, which contributed such a large share to the history, not only of Minnesota, but especially of Minnesota valley, would be fully jusfied in appropriang the means needed to mark the resng places of those who sacrificed life and all, to lay the foundaon for the blessings and prosperity now enjoyed by the younger generaon and a few pioneers, who are sll le. It would seem though, that our state, which is spending so much money to perpetuate patrioc and deserving deeds in the past, could well afford to concede a trifle for the purpose of showing future generaons where those early martyrs sleep." The 1906 meeng was an important one for the Renville County Pioneers Associaon, as one of its most acve members, William Wichmann, was elected president. Thanks primarily to his vision and dedicaon, the Associaon succeeded in aaining its goals of honoring the memory of the pioneers who perished in 1862. Wichmann was the son of German immigrants, Diedrich and Margaret Wichmann, who had seled in Renville County. Wichmann’s family came from Hanover, Germany to America in 1852, first seling in Cook County Illinois and then moving to Coonwood Township in Brown County in 1858. In 1860 they moved to Beaver Falls Township in Renville County. During the Uprising, the family escaped to Fort Ridgely, but then moved on to Illinois, not returning to Minnesota unl 1864, when they moved to New Ulm. In 1865, they finally returned to the Renville County farm. The 1862 Uprising experience no doubt made a deep and lasng impression on Wichmann evidenced by the leadership role he played as president of the Renville County Pioneers Associaon. He even wrote a narrave of his family’s experience, which can be found referenced at the Find A Grave link above. As a young man, Wichmann was engaged in farming in Beaver Falls Township unl 1889, when he was elected Sheriff of Renville County and then moved his place of residence to Beaver Falls. Thereaer, he moved back to his farm, living there unl 1909, when he rered to Morton. From 1903 to 1907, he served as Representave of Renville County in the Minnesota State Legislature. Wichmann also served on the village council and other offices in Morton. Addionally, he was president of the New State Bank of Morton and was a member of the German Lutheran Church.

65 The Honorable State Representave William Wichmann President of the Renville County Pioneers Associaon The Renville County history notes his service as president of the Pioneers Associaon and his strong interest in 1862: “He was also president of the Pioneers' Associaon of Renville County, for several years, again elected this year, and was instrumental in having monuments erected to mark the graves of several slain in the Indian outbreak. In this work, Mr. Wichmann has aained a widespread fame. He has made a lifelong study of the incidents of the massacre, and at the expense of much me and money has labored, through the erecon of monuments, markers and otherwise, to perpetuate the memory of those martyrs to civilizaon who perished at the hands of the revengeful Sioux.” At the 1907 meeng a membership badge designed by Charles Kenning was officially adopted.

Membership badge of Albert Tolzmann (grandfather of the author) At the 1907 meeng, Wichmann reported that “through the efforts of John A. Dalzell the legislature appropriated a small sum for the marking the graves of massacred vicms, and a commiee consisng of William Wichmann and Charles Kenning was appointed to go before the county commissioners and arrange the maer with them.”

For the 1908 meeng speakers included Assistant Aorney General Geo. W. Peterson; J.F. Jacobsen, a gubernatorial candidate; and George Welch, State Immigraon Commissioner. Such speakers indicate that the Associaon was aracng state office-holders and seekers to its programs. During the 1908 meeng, the commiee on monuments reported that the graves of Mrs. R. S. Henderson and her two

66 daughters, Jehiel Wedge, Eugene White and Radner Earle, had been marked. Also, a paper wrien by Dr. E.W. Earle on the Uprising was presented by Wichman and subsequently was published as a pamphlet. A high point of the 1912 annual meeng was a visit from Governor A.O. Eberhart who spoke to a huge audience at Buffalo Lake for an event entled “Old Selers Reunion.”

Governor Eberhart speaking at the 1912 Old Selers Reunion of the Renville County Pioneers Associaon at Buffalo Lake The 1915 annual meeng included addresses from then Governor Winfield S. Hammond and Lt. Governor J.A.A. Burnquist. Addionally, a commiee was appointed “to cooperate and advise with the pares now at work in the preparaon of a history of Renville County.” This resulted in the publicaon in 1916 of the two volume history of the county by Franklyn Curss-Wedge in 1916. Chapter forty-three of volume two provides a history of the county’s monuments and markers (pp. 1342-50). This is an overview of the valuable contribuons made by the Associaon in erecng historical monuments and markers throughout the county. Most important and perhaps most symbolic of all of them was the Schwandt Memorial Monument, which was erected on 18 August 1915. The county history notes of Wichmann’s work for the Schwandt Monument: “He served enrely without recompense, and achieved results which could scarcely have been expected had more than twice the amount appropriated been expended. Mr. Wichmann was also the prime mover in the erecon of the Schwandt Monument.” The importance of the historical markers and monuments in Renville County was commented on by Curss-Wedge in the introducon to Chapter forty-three of the county history, where he notes “Rich as Renville county is in historic tradion, sancfied as her soil has been by the blood of martyrs, notable as her territory is as the scene of some of the most srring events in Minnesota history, it is fing that many hallowed spots, here and there, should be marked with permanent marble and granite, suitably inscribed as a memorial to the past and an inspiraon to the future.” Those that perished and those that survived the 1862 Uprising will be honored during the 150th anniversary year of 2012. At the same me, a special word of gratude is due to the Renville County Pioneer Associaon and its president, the Hon. State Representave William Wichmann, for all that they accomplished a century ago before and aer the 50th anniversary of the Uprising. They helped “preserve the history of those early days and the persons who bore the hardships and privaons of that wild froner life.”

67 Schwandt Memorial Monument, established by the Renville County Pioneers Associaon Selers Monument, established by the Renville County Pioneers Associaon

Photos submied by Don Heinrich Tolzmann

68 The Renville County Rangers By Don Heinrich Tolzmann Renville County can take pride in the Renville Rangers who served from August 19 to November 28, 1862 and fought in the important Bales of Fort Ridgely and Wood Lake. A roster of the Rangers can be found in the following list from: Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars, 1861-1865 (St. Paul 1891), p. 780.

Addionally, a monument at Fort Ridgely lists the names of the Renville Rangers who helped defend the fort in 1862. It was erected in 1896 by the State of Minnesota and bears the inscripon: In Memory of the Fallen: In Recognion of the Living and For the Emulaon of Future Generaons 69 Selers in the Area of Birch Coulie Township During the US Dakota War of 1862 Among Those Killed Among Those Taken Capve Among Those Who Escaped Brooks, Thomas, nephew of Martha and Frederick Clasen, grandson of Ellen Carson McConnell Cardinal, Marguerita Perreault, Cardinal, Clement wife of Clement, son, Clement, Jr. Buery, George, wife Salomé (Sally) and children Catherine, Margaret, George Evere, Emily, Mary Ann and Martha Clasen, Charles Clasen, Carolina, wife of Charles and son, John Clasen, Frederick Clasen, Martha McConnell, wife of Frederick and daughters, Ellen and Mary Faribault, David, Nancy, David Jr., Mary Josephine and Nancy Kaertner, Henry Kaertner, H., wife of Henry Kumro, John, wife Maria (Mary) and children William H., Louisa, and Ferdinand LaCroix, Louis, Rosee, Louis Jr., L. Spencer, Adrienne and Olive

McConnell, Ellen Carson, mother to Martha Clasen, David and Joseph McConnell Perreault, Pierre Perrreault, Marie-Elizabeth, wife of Pierre, children, Genevieve, Melvina, Joseph George, and Mary Philomene

Picard, Eusebi Picard, Elizabeth, daughter of Picard, Elizabeth Perrault Eusebi and Elizabeth wife of Eusebi and son Eusebi 70 Among Those Killed Among Those Taken Capve Among Those Who Escaped Wi, Fredericka, wife of Carl Wi, Carl and children, William, Mary, Joseph, Johanna and Herman (H. Carl) Zimmerman, John, and sons, John Jr. Zimmerman, Mary, wife of and Goried John and children, Mary, Elizabeth and Sam Selers in the Area of Beaver Falls Township During the US Dakota War of 1862 These names were taken from Gregory F. Michno’s Map E, in Dakota Dawn Among Those Killed Among Those Taken Capve Among Those Who Escaped Andrew Bahlke Henry and Minnie Ahrens, children, Stella, Maude, Myrtle, Evelyn and Lena Peter Bjorkman

Helen Carrothers, wife of James, children, Althea and Tommy John and William Carrothers Elizabeth, wife of David David Carrothers sons of David and Elizabeth Carrothers Radnor Earle, son of Jonathan Amanda Earle, wife of Jonathan, Jonathan, Chalon, Exmon and Amanda children, Julia and Elmira and Herman Earle Balthasar Eisenreich Mrs. Balthasar Eisenreich, children, Peter, Sophia, Mary and Joseph Maria Bahlke Frohrip, sister to Andrew Bahlke , children Louisa and John Frohrip Ernest and Augusne Hauff, children, Allia, Ernest, Jr. and an unnamed child John and Patrick Hayden Mary Hayden, wife of Patrick daughter, Catherine Stephen and Clarissa Henderson. daughters, Lydia and Unknown Marian Hunter, wife of Alexander Alexander Hunter William Ienenfeldt Wilhelmina Ienenfeldt, wife of William and daughter, Bertha

71 Among Those Killed Among Those Taken Capve Among Those Who Escaped Anna Maria Juni Benedict Juni, Jr. Benedict Juni, Mary and Lena Caroline Meyer, wife to John, John Meyer children, John, Sarah and Lydia Thomas Robertson and Family Louisa Schmidt and infant Minnie Schmidt (who later died) William Schmidt c h i l d Johann and Anna Sieg, children, Louisa, Emmy, Amelia and Freddy Mrs. Louis Thiele and child Louis Thiele Jehiel Wedge Eugene White, son of Urania White, wife of Nathan, Millard White Nathan and Urania children, Julia and Frank Diedrich and Margaret Wichmann, children, Cosmos, Henry, William, Dorothy, Fredericke and John John Zitzlaff Michael and Mary Zitzlaff Birch Coulie and Beaver Creek Vicms: Their Descendants and Their Relaonships Descendants Relaonships Bahlke, Andrew Kathy Brown, 3rd great-grand niece brother to Maria Frohrip

Bo, Louisa Frohrip Kathy Brown, 2nd great-grand niece

Brooks, Thomas Mary McConnell, first cousin, 2x removed nephew to Frederick and Martha Clasen grandson of Ellen Carson McConnell Buery, George and Marguerite Glenn Vogtman, 2nd great-grandson Shirm, first wife Deanna Baertsch, 2nd great-granddaughter Buery, George and Salomé Kauffmann,* second wife Cardinal, Clement and Rod Cardinal, 2nd great-grandson Margaret Perreault Jenna Taverna, 3rd great-granddaughter Chris Cox Kno, great-niece Colleen Hanson-Harvey, 3rd great-niece

72 Descendants Relaonships Clasen, Charles and Carolina Jan Clasen Klein, Joyce Clasen Kloncz, 2nd great-granddaughter

Clasen, Charles and Carolina Michael Prohaska, 3rd great-grandson Jay Robert Clasen, 3rd great-grandson

Clasen, Frederick and Martha McConnell Mary McConnell, great grand-niece Jan Clasen, Klein, Joyce Clasen Kloncz, Clasen, John great-grand-nieces Eisenrich, Balthasar Kris Sampson, 2nd great-granddaughter rd Frohrip, Maria Bahlke, Kathy Brown, 3 great-granddaughter Frohrip, John Kathy Brown, 2nd great-granddaughter

Gluth, August Nancy Rieke Gulbrandson, great- granddaughter

Ienenfeldt, William & Wilhelmina Stan Shubert, 2nd great-grandson Bertha Lawin, daughter Ruth Jacobson, great-granddaughter Ginny Fairman, great-granddaughter Kumro, John and Mary Kauffmann* Glenn Vogtman, indirect relaonship son William McConnell, David Mary McConnell, great grand-niece McConnell, Ellen Carson Mary McConnell, 2nd great-granddaughter

McConnell, Joseph Mary McConnell, great grand-niece Perreault, Pierre Chris Cox Kno, 2nd great-granddaughter and wife, Marie-Elizabeth Jenna Taverna, 4th great-granddaughter Colleen Hanson-Harvey, 4th great- granddaughter “ Mary Philomene Bell, (daughter) Chris Cox Kno, great-granddaughter wife of Edward Bell Colleen Hanson-Harvey, 3rd great-niece

“ Genevieve Luce, (daughter) Jenna Taverna, 3rd great-granddaughter wife of Theolon Luce Colleen Hanson-Harvey, 3rd great- granddaughter Picard , Eusebi and Elizabeth Perreault Chris Cox Kno, great-niece Jenna Taverna, great-niece Colleen Hanson-Harvey, great-niece 73 Descendants Relaonships Rieke, George and Sophia Lammers Nancy Rieke Gulbrandson, great- granddaughter Rose, Georg Fredrich & Johanna Morris Gildemeister, great-grandson

Urban, Wilhelmine and Johan Jacob Marba Sanders Pogue, great-great granddaughter

Vogtman, John and Catherine Glenn Vogtman, great-grandson Buery (daughter of George) Deanna Baertsch, great-granddaughter White, Nathan, Urania, Frank Julie Machnik, 2nd great granddaughter Eugene and Julia Wi, Fredericka and Carl Mary Lou Erickson, 2nd great-granddaughter Tim Teynor, 2nd great-grandson Brian Wi, 5th great-grandson th Claude Wi, 4 great-grandson Wi, Herman Brian Wi, 4th great-grandson rd Claude Wi, 3 great-grandson Wi, William, Mary Lou Erickson, great-grand-niece (brother to Herman & Joseph) Tim Teynor, great-grand-nephew Wi, Joseph Tim Teynor, great-grandson (brother to William & Herman) Mary Lou Erickson, great-granddaughter

Zimmerman, John, Goried Catherine Wetzel, 2nd great-granddaughter and John Jr. Linda Albert, 2nd great-granddaughter Bruce Klosowsky, 3rd great-grandson Zimmerman, Elizabeth Catherine Wetzel, great-granddaughter Linda Albert, great-granddaughter Dahlin, Curt Friend and Advisor Cox, Bill Friend and Advisor *Mary Kauffman and Salomé /Sally Kauffmann were sisters. The gathering of the names of vicms is a difficult task. We have relied on the primary sources of The History of Renville County, Gregory Michno’s book, Dakota Dawn, and Curt Dahlin’s book, The Dakota Uprising—A Pictorial History, in compiling both the Beaver Creek and Birch Coulie list. There may be others we have missed and we apologize for that. 74 Donors List

Brown, Kathy, Edina, MN Redhead, Connie, Eugene, OR Cardinal, Rod and Mary, Loda, IL Shubert, Marianne, Clear Lake, IA Carlson, Bertyl and Mary, Richfield, MN Shubert, Carol, Owatonna, MN Clasen, Jay and Linda, Kansas City, MO Shubert, Gilbert and Ronda, Kasson, MN Coates, Joe, Kele Falls, WA Shubert, Wayne, Camanche, IA Dahlin, Curt, Roseville, MN Smyk, Walter and Mary Trust, c/o of Marilyn Smyk, Stratham, NH Erickson, Mary Lou, St. Paul, MN Teynor, John, Salt Lake City, UT Frohrip, Natalie, Moose Lake, MN Teynor, Ralph, Albany, NY Hanson-Harvey, Colleen, Port Washington, WI Teynor, Tim, Minneapolis, MN Klein, Jan, Casa Grande, AZ Teynor, Tom K., Richland, WA Kloncz, Joyce, Surprise, AZ Vingelli, Anthony and Barbara, Sarasota, FL Kno, Chrisne, Smithville, MO Vogtman, Glenn, Texas City, TX Kopischke, Barbara, East Dubuque, IL Wetzel, Catherine, Minneapolis, MN McConnell, Mary, Aon, MN Wolf, Carl, Chicago, IL Prohaska, Michael and Gay, Huxley, IA Ziegenhagen, Lois, Zumbrota, MN

Renville County Memorial Markers

The marker shown on the back cover has been created by the Family and Friends of Dakota Uprising Vicms commiee. It will be located in Morton in front of the Renville County Historical Society. The memorial was commissioned by donaons of the descendants of the Birch Coulie and Beaver Creek neighborhoods. The second marker of the Beaver Creek selers is incomplete at this me. Dedicaon for the Birch Coulie marker was scheduled for August 25, 2012 in Morton.

75 Addional Family and Friends Relaonships

We are adding these names as an addendum as most will be aending the gathering on August 18. Brooks, Thomas Kathleen McConnell, 1st cousin, 2x removed Mary McGuiggan, 1st cousin, 2x removed Steve McConnell, 1st cousin, 2x removed Jim DuBois, 1st cousin, 2x removed Tom McConnell, 1st cousin, 3x removed Mollie McConnell, 1st cousin, 3x removed Dorothy McConnell McGuiggan, 1st cousin, 1x removed Cardinal, Clement and Marguerite Mary Cardinal Binkler, 2nd great-granddaughter Kaye Cardinal McKee, 2nd great-granddaughter Kelly Cardinal McKee, 3rd great-granddaughter Ann Cardinal Nicolai, 2nd great-granddaughter Richard Cardinal, 2rd great-grandson Russ Cardinal, 2nd great-grandson Amy Lynn Meilstrup, 3rd great-granddaughter Anna Marie Bonkowske-3rd great-granddaughter Amber Lee Cardinal-Ferstenou, 3rd great- granddaughter

Clasen, Charles and Carolina Lynn Clasen, 3rd great-grandson Barbara Kopischke, 2nd great-granddaughter Michele Blom, 3rd great-granddaughter Ina Maxwell, 2nd great-granddaughter Cheryl Klinkenborg, 3rd great-granddaughter Hazel Koll, 2nd great-granddaughter Joan Becker, 3rd great-granddaughter Marlene Prohaska, 2nd great-granddaughter Karen Ingeman, 3rd great-granddaughter Kevin Prohaska, 3rd great-grandson rd Iona Rozenberg, 3 great-granddaughter Frohrip, Maria Bahlke Emme Smith, 3rd great-grandson Myrna Renner, 2nd great-granddaughter Rich Bo, 3rd great-grandson Ron Renner, 3rd great-grandson Tami Brown, 4th great-granddaughter th Nora Mohamed, 5 great-granddaughter Frohrip, John Tami Brown, 3rd great-granddaughter Nora Mohamed, 4th great-granddaughter nd Natalie Frohrip, 2 great-granddaughter

76 Frohrip, Wilhelmina Schippel Myrna Renner, great-granddaughter Ron Renner, 2nd great-grandson nd Emme Smith, 2 great-grandson Frohrip, Louisa Bo Carol Ellinger nd Rich Bo, 2 great-grandson McConnell, Ellen Carson Dorothy McConnell McGuiggan, great- granddaughter Mary McGuiggan, 2rd great-granddaughter Kathleen McConnell, 2nd great-granddaughter Jim DuBois, 2nd great-grandson Steve McConnell, 2nd great-grandson Tom McConnell, 3nd great-grandson Mollie McConnell, 3rd great-granddaughter nd Ann Kellen, 2 great-granddaughter McConnell, David, Joseph and Martha Clasen Dorothy McGuiggan McConnell, great-grand niece Mary McGuiggan, great-grand niece Kathleen McConnell, great-grand niece Steve McConnell, great-grand nephew Jim DuBois, great-grand nephew Mollie McConnell, 2nd great-grand niece nd Tom McConnell, 2 great-grand nephew Vogtman, Catherine Buery Delbert Schmidt, 2nd great-grandson nd Janea Knapp, 2 great-granddaughter Wi, Carl and Frederika Fick Mary Carlson, great-granddaughter

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